Early PregnancyCIRCANCT07197892
Conversational AI Platform for Early Pregnancy Care City-wide Recruitment: A Feasibility Study
A study testing CIRCA Texting Platform in people with Early Pregnancy, run by University of Pennsylvania at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study seeks to determine pregnant patients in the Philadelphia area can be recruited to a conversational AI texting platform. The trial will be considered feasible if recruitment goals are met in proportion to delivery volume at the hospital. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 15 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Early Pregnancy
- What is being tested?
- CIRCA Texting Platform
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 2,637 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 6 Apr 2026to Sep 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 15 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Willing and able to provide informed consent
- Access to a working mobile phone
- Ability to read English
- Pregnant with a gestational age less than 12 weeks, 6 days by last menstrual period or by ultrasound, or per patient self-report
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
Arden McAllister, 267-785-8044, arden.mcallister@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
About this study
This study seeks to determine pregnant patients in the Philadelphia area can be recruited to a conversational AI texting platform. The trial will be considered feasible if recruitment goals are met in proportion to delivery volume at the hospital.
Read the detailed description
The investigators developed a conversational AI platform to improve periconception care (CIRCA) to engage individuals in their healthcare decision making, reduce barriers to care, and ultimately reduce widespread inequities in reproductive and maternal health.
CIRCA was developed to enable care from positive pregnancy test onward. After a positive test, patients scan a QR code to onboard via SMS to the program. A positive pregnancy test is confirmed, and an estimated gestational duration is calculated from last menstrual period, if known. If unknown, the patient is directed to schedule a visit at a nearby early pregnancy assessment center where they can receive routine testing and counseling to confirm the pregnancy and its gestational duration. They are then able to receive triage and scheduled educational content.
- Conditions
- Early Pregnancy
- Being tested
- CIRCA Texting Platform
- Keywords
- Early pregnancy loss, Miscarriage, Prenatal care, Abortion
- Medical subject headings
- Abortion, Spontaneous
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
CIRCA Texting PlatformOther
Two-way texting platform that uses artificial intelligence to match patient texts to clinician-vetted responses and send educational content
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| CIRCA Texting Platform | Experimental | CIRCA is a two-way texting platform that uses artificial intelligence to match patient texts to clinician-vetted responses and send educational content. Receives: Other: CIRCA Texting Platform |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility of citywide recruitment of pregnant patients in Philadelphia.
Proportion of pregnant patients in Philadelphia who sign up to use CIRCA texting platform
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (4)
Platform engagement
Percentage of surveys completed by participant
Measured: Between platform enrollment up until 12 weeks, 6 days gestation
Platform acceptability
Net promoter score (Range 0-10, with a higher score indicating a better rating)
Measured: To be completed at 1 week of use and at final study survey (up to 12 weeks 6 days gestation)
Birth outcome
Early pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, abortion, severe maternal morbidity, preterm birth
Measured: From platform enrollment up until the event of a live birth or other pregnancy outcome.
Emergency Department Utilization
Emergency Department visits
Measured: From platform enrollment until 12 weeks, 6 days gestation.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Sep 2025
- Study start6 Apr 2026
- Primary completionFeb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Early PregnancyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of PennsylvaniaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 2,637 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Alice Abernathy, Principal investigator, University of Pennsylvania
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07197892
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 859274
- Acronym
- CIRCA
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Conversational AI Platform for Early Pregnancy Care City-wide Recruitment: A Feasibility Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07197892
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CIRCA / 859274
- Conditions
- Early Pregnancy
- Keywords
- Early pregnancy loss, Miscarriage, Prenatal care, Abortion
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 2,637 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PennsylvaniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 30 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study seeks to determine pregnant patients in the Philadelphia area can be recruited to a conversational AI texting platform. The trial will be considered feasible if recruitment goals are met in proportion to delivery volume at the hospital.
Detailed description
The investigators developed a conversational AI platform to improve periconception care (CIRCA) to engage individuals in their healthcare decision making, reduce barriers to care, and ultimately reduce widespread inequities in reproductive and maternal health.
CIRCA was developed to enable care from positive pregnancy test onward. After a positive test, patients scan a QR code to onboard via SMS to the program. A positive pregnancy test is confirmed, and an estimated gestational duration is calculated from last menstrual period, if known. If unknown, the patient is directed to schedule a visit at a nearby early pregnancy assessment center where they can receive routine testing and counseling to confirm the pregnancy and its gestational duration. They are then able to receive triage and scheduled educational content.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| CIRCA Texting Platform | Experimental | Other: CIRCA Texting PlatformCIRCA is a two-way texting platform that uses artificial intelligence to match patient texts to clinician-vetted responses and send educational content. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 15 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Willing and able to provide informed consent
- Access to a working mobile phone
- Ability to read English
- Pregnant with a gestational age less than 12 weeks, 6 days by last menstrual period or by ultrasound, or per patient self-report
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| CIRCA Texting PlatformTwo-way texting platform that uses artificial intelligence to match patient texts to clinician-vetted responses and send educational content | Other | CIRCA Texting Platform |
Primary outcome
Feasibility of citywide recruitment of pregnant patients in Philadelphia.
Time frame: 12 months
Proportion of pregnant patients in Philadelphia who sign up to use CIRCA texting platform
4 secondary outcomes
Platform engagement
Time frame: Between platform enrollment up until 12 weeks, 6 days gestation
Platform acceptability
Time frame: To be completed at 1 week of use and at final study survey (up to 12 weeks 6 days gestation)
Birth outcome
Time frame: From platform enrollment up until the event of a live birth or other pregnancy outcome.
Emergency Department Utilization
Time frame: From platform enrollment until 12 weeks, 6 days gestation.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Alice Abernathy principal investigator
University of Pennsylvania
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing CIRCA Texting Platform in people with Early Pregnancy, run by University of Pennsylvania at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Arden McAllister, MPH (267-785-8044, arden.mcallister@pennmedicine.upenn.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility of citywide recruitment of pregnant patients in Philadelphia. (time frame: 12 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Apr 2026.