Antenatal couples' counselling in Uganda (ACCU): study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Maternal, perinatal, and neonatal deaths are often caused by poor birth planning and unmet contraception needs.
• Antenatal care traditionally focuses on women, overlooking the need for spousal involvement in decision-making, particularly in Uganda.
• The World Health Organization advocates for postpartum family planning (PPFP) as a crucial healthcare component.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of recruiting and retaining participants in a trial involving community-based counseling for antenatal couples in Uganda.
• To evaluate a complex intervention aimed at improving birth planning and postpartum family planning (PPFP).

Main Methods:

• A two-group, non-blinded, cluster-randomised controlled feasibility trial was conducted in Uganda.
• The intervention involved training village health teams and health workers to counsel couples on delivery location and postpartum contraception.
• Data was collected from 700 women per arm via smartphone software.

Main Results:

• The study focused on feasibility and did not report primary outcome results.
• The intervention's acceptability and feasibility for recruitment and delivery were assessed.

Conclusions:

• The intervention targets key factors contributing to maternal and neonatal mortality: inadequate family planning and inappropriate delivery locations.
• Successful feasibility demonstrates potential for a fully powered randomized controlled trial to improve birth planning and PPFP uptake in Uganda.