Visual Education Tool for Postpartum Care

Overseen By Paul C Fitzgerald, RN,BSN,MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Northwestern University

Must not be taking: Anticoagulants

Disqualifiers: Serious peripartum complications, Coagulopathies, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

40 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to create a new visual education tool to help new mothers recognize important warning signs after giving birth. The goal is to make these signs clear and easy to understand, regardless of medical knowledge. Participants will view various images designed to highlight potential postpartum complications. The trial seeks women who have recently given birth for the first time, speak English, and have not experienced serious birth-related complications. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to contribute to developing a valuable resource for new mothers.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this visual education tool is safe for postpartum care?

A previous study demonstrated that the new visual education tool helps people recognize important warning signs after giving birth. This tool uses pictures to make these signs easier to understand. No safety risks have been reported, as the tool serves solely as a visual aid. It is designed to enhance learning, not to treat or diagnose any condition. Since it is neither a drug nor a medical device, there are no side effects or adverse events to consider. The primary goal is to improve knowledge and awareness. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Visual Education Tool for Postpartum Care because it aims to enhance understanding of post-delivery complications through an engaging and accessible format. Unlike traditional text-based education methods, this tool uses visual aids, which can be more effective in conveying complex medical information quickly and clearly. By employing images that illustrate potential postpartum issues, the tool could improve new mothers' ability to recognize symptoms early and seek timely medical help, potentially leading to better health outcomes.

What evidence suggests that this visual education tool is effective for postpartum care?

Research shows that pictures can help new mothers understand and remember important health information after giving birth. Studies suggest that images enhance learning and aid in recalling crucial health signs. The POST-BIRTH Warning Signs tool, used widely across the U.S., underscores the importance of clear visual aids in postpartum education. This trial will compare two different visual aids, with participants viewing either a picture from appendix A or appendix B first. Although specific data on this new tool are still being gathered, its design relies on proven methods for effective communication in healthcare. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Kaitlyn Neumann, MD

Principal Investigator

Northwestern University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals who have recently given birth (postpartum) and are interested in improving their understanding of urgent maternal warning signs. The study seeks participants from various healthcare literacy backgrounds to assess the effectiveness of visual education tools.

Inclusion Criteria

Nulliparity

I have recently given birth.

I am older than 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria

Healthcare providers (in which patients will have significant background knowledge)

I am unable to sign or understand the consent form.

Refusal to participate in all study-related procedures

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants view visual aid pictures of post delivery complications to improve recognition and reporting of postpartum urgent maternal warning signs

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for understanding and reporting of postpartum urgent maternal warning signs

1 day

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Novel Visual Education Tool

Trial Overview The study tests two different visual aid pictures designed to educate postpartum individuals about urgent maternal warning signs. It aims to determine which image is more effective at conveying critical health information clearly and accurately.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Participant will view a visual aid picture (appendix B) first Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participant will view a visual aid picture (appendix B) of a post delivery complication first

Group II: Participant will view a visual aid picture (appendix A) first Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participant will view a visual aid picture (appendix A) of a post delivery complication first.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Northwestern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

New mothers prefer technology-based educational materials over traditional paper handouts for learning about safe sleep practices for their newborns, indicating a shift in how educational content should be delivered.

Participants rated video teaching materials significantly higher than paper handouts, suggesting that healthcare organizations should adapt their patient education strategies to align with modern learning preferences.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Format of Parent Education Material Preferred by New Mothers. Raines, DA., Robinson, J.[2021]

The postpartum period is crucial for improving maternal health, but many individuals face barriers to effective care, leading to poor health outcomes; patient navigation is a promising intervention to help overcome these obstacles.

A comprehensive training guide for postpartum patient navigators was developed, emphasizing six core elements essential for effective navigation, which can be adapted for various healthcare settings to enhance postpartum care access and quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bridging the postpartum gap: best practices for training of obstetrical patient navigators. Yee, LM., Williams, B., Green, HM., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06912776

Study Details | Novel Visual Education Tool to Improve ... This study aims to create a novel visual education tool that builds on the urgent maternal warning signs identified by The Council on Patient Safety in Women's ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-postpartum-state-4-2025-2325e

Visual Education Tool for Postpartum Care This suggests that a visual education tool could be effective in enhancing postpartum care by helping new mothers better understand and remember critical health ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12036783/

Randomized Trial of Group Postpartum Care Model ... We developed and tested a novel, integrated model of group postpartum care titled Focused-Postpartum Care (Focused-PPC) to improve outcomes.

4. saferbirth.org saferbirth.org/patient-safety-bundles/

Patient Safety Bundles For Safer Birth | AIM The POST-BIRTH Warning Signs educational tool has been incorporated into postpartum discharge teaching throughout the U.S. and has been cited as an exemplar ...

5. bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-022-05084-1

The effectiveness of postpartum interventions aimed at ... Limited intervention studies aimed at improving postpartum mental disorders after medically complicated pregnancy were found, most with a high risk of bias.

6. clinconnect.io clinconnect.io/trials/NCT06912776

Novel Visual Education Tool to Improve Recognition and This study aims to create a novel visual education tool that builds on the urgent maternal warning signs identified by The Council on Patient Safety in ...