Partnering With Antenatal Navigators to Transform Health in Pregnancy

In the US, high rates of maternal morbidity are urgent public health concerns. Limited access to health care combined with other non-medical challenges generate greater risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes for women with low income. High-quality antenatal care supports optimal health, yet typically fails to meet the needs of some populations, including those with lower incomes. Improving the health of pregnant women in a patient-centered manner requires innovative models of care delivery across the spectrum of maternal care. One strategy is patient navigation, a longitudinal, barrier- focused, patient-centered intervention that offers support for health services. Our prior work has included the study of patient navigation for low-income postpartum women, finding that assignment to a navigator improves the receipt of postpartum care and the successful transition to primary care. Although antenatal care is an ideal setting for patient navigation, the benefits of antenatal patient navigation for overall maternal and perinatal health have not been rigorously evaluated in randomized trials. There has been no study of antenatal patient navigation as a comprehensive, wraparound service to improve a wide range of pregnancy outcomes.

This randomized controlled trial aims to test the efficacy of an innovative antenatal care patient navigation model that extends and expands care for low-income pregnant women via the Partnering with Antenatal Navigators to Transform Health in Pregnancy (PATH) Trial. We will randomize nulliparous pregnant women with low income to receive antenatal patient navigation via the PATH program versus usual antenatal care. Participants randomized to receive PATH navigation will receive intensive, individualized patient navigation services throughout pregnancy. As a multilevel, multidomain, intervention, PATH navigation is grounded in understanding and addressing approaches to promote self-efficacy, enhance access, support communication, and sustain healthcare engagement. The PATH navigation program is a comprehensive antenatal patient navigator program which is guided by principles of barrier ascertainment and reduction, promotion of self-efficacy and health literacy skills, facilitation of communication, and enhancing antenatal care access. PATH navigators will incorporate best practices regarding non-medical needs assessment, motivational interviewing, health education, and capacity-building health behavior support.

The study will enroll and randomize 550 to 600 pregnant women, ages 16 and over, who have not had a previous live birth and who have publicly funded prenatal care or have low income. Participants assigned to navigation will be provided intensive, individualized, one-on-one navigation services from enrollment (at less than 20 weeks of gestation) through 2 weeks postpartum. All participants will undergo surveys, interviews, and medical record reviews at 5 study visits from enrollment (<20 weeks of gestation) through 9 months postpartum. Visits will occur at the following intervals: before 20 weeks (V1), 28-32 weeks of gestation (V2), at the time of hospitalization for delivery (V3), 6-12 weeks postpartum (V4), and 9 months postpartum (V5).

Aim 1 will evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves a composite of maternal adverse outcomes (including hypertensive disorders, preterm birth, postpartum hemorrhage, severe maternal morbidity, maternal mortality). Sub-Aim 1 aims to evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves effective maternal healthcare utilization (antenatal hospital use, Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization index, postpartum care/admission). Aim 2 will evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves a composite of perinatal adverse outcomes (including neonatal intensive care unit admission, low birthweight, small- and large-for-gestational age, perinatal death). Sub-Aim 2 aims to evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves effective neonatal/pediatric healthcare utilization (neonatal length-of-stay, neonatal hospital utilization, and pediatric care attendance). Exploratory Aims 1 and 2 will evaluate whether PATH's efficacy varies by different demographic factors (e.g. age), or chronic disease status.

Aim 3 will evaluate patient, clinician, navigator, and health system experiences with PATH in preparation for widespread implementation and dissemination of the PATH obstetric navigation model. This aim is guided by implementation science principles and will be accomplished via serial collection of patient-reported outcomes, individual interviews, and process mapping exercises. Specifically, Aim 3a will compare patient-reported outcomes, including perceived health status, quality of life, patient activation, stress level, and self-efficacy, for women who receive PATH navigation versus usual care. Aim 3b will use qualitative and process mapping methods among approximately 50 participants assigned to PATH to understand participants' engagement, feedback, pregnancy experience, antenatal care processes, and satisfaction with the level of social and medical care received with patient navigation. Aim 3c will similarly use qualitative and process mapping methods with approximately 20 clinicians, navigators, and health system administrators to understand the extent to which PATH facilitated clinical, administrative, and health system needs, as well as lessons for future program implementation, including the relative benefits of discrete elements of the PATH intervention.

The PATH Trial will fill a significant evidence gap by demonstrating whether antenatal patient navigation among low-income pregnant women, who are disproportionately at risk for adverse outcomes, is an effective strategy to improve perinatal health. The expected outcome of this project is to generate the empiric evidence needed to understand the effect of antenatal patient navigation and to plan for an optimized package of successful implementation strategies to prepare for broad dissemination.