Mobile-based Obstetric Monitoring for Pregnancies Complicated by Hypertension and/or Diabetes (MOM-HD)

Summary

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) and gestational diabetes (GDM) are among the leading complications in pregnancy, significantly contributing to global maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. (1,2,3) Effective management of HDP and GDM hinges on regular monitoring of blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose (BG) to ensure adequate control and timely interventions for maternal and fetal well-being. Telemonitoring offers a promising and cost-effective alternative by enabling pregnant individuals to monitor BP and BG at home and share real-time results with healthcare providers, facilitating informed clinical decision-making and timely interventions.

Here the investigators propose to conduct a Hybrid Type II Effectiveness-Implementation Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness and evaluate the implementation of the MOM-HD (Mobile-based Obstetric Monitoring for Hypertension and/or Diabetes) program, a mobile app-based perinatal telemonitoring program, in real-world clinical settings in Nepal. To address the study aims, the investigators will recruit 864 women who are newly diagnosed with HDP and GDM from three metropolitan hospitals and randomly assign them to either (i) MOM-HD + standard care or (ii) standard care alone, from enrolment in pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum. Primary and secondary clinical outcomes will be assessed at delivery, and at 6 weeks postpartum. The investigators hypothesize that compared to standard care, the use of MOM-HD in addition to standard care will result in lower systolic BP levels, lower incidence rate for the composite adverse perinatal outcome of either perinatal loss, neonatal intensive care unit admission, primary cesarean delivery or labor induction, and lower proportion of days with elevated systolic BP or BG readings between recruitment and 6 weeks postpartum. A convergent mixed-methods approach will be used to assess implementation and maintenance outcomes using the RE-AIM framework (4), and economic sustainability will be assessed by collecting primary cost data.

Conditions

• Gestational Diabetes
• Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

MOM-HD

Participants will receive education and training on proper BP and/or BG monitoring and will be provided a BP monitor and/or glucometer with strips. They will be asked to use the MOM-HD mobile app to measure and record daily BP (until 6 weeks postpartum) and, for women with GDM, fasting and 2-hour postprandial BG (until delivery). Readings are automatically uploaded via Bluetooth to a provider portal and reviewed daily by a nurse. Participants will receive automated reminders, instant feedback on readings, and educational materials via the app. They will participate in biweekly tele-visits with a nurse to review readings, discuss symptoms, and receive counseling on lifestyle, diet, and care plans.

OTHER

Standard Care

Pregnant women with HDP and GDM will receive standard antenatal care, which includes more frequent hospital visits (6-8 extra), ultrasound, urine dipstick, BP/BG monitoring with paper record booklets, dietary and physical activity counseling, and OB/GYN follow-up. GDM patients will consult with a dietitian and physical therapist. Postpartum follow-up includes BP/BG testing at 6 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dhulikhel Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• Institute for Implementation Science and Health

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Shristi Rawal, PhD · Rutgers School of Health Professions

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-09-01

Primary Completion

2030-02-28

Completion

2030-12-31