Increase First-time Mothers' Use of Postpartum Family Planning in Tanzania: The Connect Project

NCT06261970 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 999002684
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,134
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

While a growing body of programs have shown promise to increase use of contraception among first time mothers (FTMs), difficulties remain in scaling beyond small pilot areas and institutionalizing within existing systems. Connect's approach aims to strengthen existing government health systems and community-level health efforts, including those supported through local and international non-governmental organizations, by developing and testing light-touch "enhancements" with the goal of increasing postpartum Family Planning (PPFP) adoption among FTMs. The investigators will evaluate Connect's approach through a cluster randomized control trial.

Conditions

Contraceptive Usage

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Adoption of of Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP):

  1\. Indicator for adopted a modern contraceptive method within 12 months after giving birth (among women who have given birth). Adoption of a modern contraceptive method in the first year after giving birth, among FTMs who have given birth-modern methods are defined here as male condoms, oral contraceptive pills, injectables, and long-active reversible contraception (LARC) methods (implants and intrauterine device (IUD)). We will use the following indicators to measure adoption and continuation of PPFP:

  12 months

• Currently Using PPFP

  Currently using a modern contraceptive method (among women who have given birth). modern methods are defined here as male condoms, oral contraceptive pills, injectables, and long-active reversible contraception (LARC) methods (implants and intrauterine device (IUD)).

  At time of 12 month survey

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Adopted or Intention to adopt PPFP

  12 months

• Average Satisfaction with PPFP methods

  12 months

• Contraceptive Preferences

  12 Months

• Quality of Family Planning Counseling

  12 months

• Communication and Agency

  12 months

Study Arms (2)

Connect Community Level Enhancements

EXPERIMENTAL

Community Support Groups (CSGs)\*: Connect enhances Lishe Endelevu's to require at least four FTMs to be recruited into each CSG established. Connect enhances the CSG toolkit to include FTM focused content, including information on birth spacing and PPFP. Home visits\*: the CHWs who facilitate the community support groups also conduct home visits to FTMs. CHWs are provided a job aid to counsel FTMs and their families on PPFP. Counseling addresses myths about FP, norms around fertility and spacing, and includes prompts to engage family and male partners when present. Counseling also integrates timely nutrition information from the support groups with PPFP information. CHWs can provide non-clinical FP methods (pills, condoms) and provide referrals for services at public health facilities

Behavioral: Connect

Control

NO INTERVENTION

No additional Connect intervention. Lishe Endelevu Community Support Groups Operate per usual.

Interventions

Connect BEHAVIORAL

Community level enhancements

Connect Community Level Enhancements

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 25 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Self identifies as first time mother
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Pregnant or has child under 9 months
• Aged 14-25

You may not qualify if:

• Younger than 14 or over 25
• Has more than one child or is pregnant and has a child

Sponsors & Collaborators

• George Washington University: lead
• Save the Children: collaborator
• Save the Children International Tanzania: collaborator
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

EDI

Bahi, Dodoma, Tanzania

Location

EDI

Kongwa, Dodoma, Tanzania

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Contraception Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Reproductive Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Sarah Baird, PhD

  George Washington University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2024
• First Posted: February 15, 2024
• Study Start: February 22, 2023
• Primary Completion: February 2, 2025
• Study Completion: February 2, 2025
• Last Updated: February 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: 2025

Locations

TA (2)