Feasibility Study of a Multidisciplinary Sickle Cell Disease Obstetrics Care Program for Pregnant Women at a Non-Academic Hospital in Ghana

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the impact of starting a multidisciplinary obstetrics care program for pregnant women with sickle cell disease SCD in a non-academic hospital in Ghana. The study aims to see if this approach can reduce maternal deaths by 50% compared to before the program began. This is important because SCD significantly increases the risk of death during pregnancy, especially in low-resource settings like Ghana, where such care programs are limited to academic hospitals. The program adapts successful care protocols from an academic hospitals multidisciplinary SCD obstetrics team, including obstetricians, general physicians, anesthesiologists, and nurses. Pregnant women with SCD attending the non-academic hospital will receive care following these protocols. The study uses a before-and-after design to compare mortality rates, with a focus on task-shifting responsibilities to existing hospital staff to improve reach and sustainability. Participants will be pregnant women with confirmed SCD up to 34 weeks gestation, aged 18 to 45, attending the non-academic hospital. The study will monitor maternal mortality up to 40 weeks for each participant. Researchers will collect medical data, conduct interviews, and track outcomes to evaluate the programs feasibility and effectiveness. The study plans to recruit 198 participants over three years, with ongoing assessments to understand barriers and support needed for successful implementation.

Multi Disciplinary Sickle Cell Disease Obstetrics Care Program in Ghana