Evaluation of the Caretekmedical pregnancy app
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of a smartphone app which informs pregnant people and their caregivers of risk factors for a poor outcome, thereby encouraging interventions to improve care - a usability study
IRAS ID
333311
Contact name
MAKRINA SAVVIDOU
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 3 days
Research summary
Pregnancy is an exciting and usually happy time for parents, but sometimes things can go wrong. Some of these are preventable with special attention from caregivers in response to "risk factors", which are items suggesting that someone is at higher risk than average. They will usually be detected by caregivers, but in a busy service things can get overlooked. Researchers have developed a smart phone app for pregnancy, which empowers pregnant people to put in their own information such as medical history, family history, and any previous illnesses. It then uses algorithms (computer programmes in the app) to identify risk factors and display them in an easily understandable form for parents and caregivers. Information from national guidelines, related to any risk factors discovered, is displayed. Although the app has been used by thousands of women, no formal study of it has yet been done to find out how easy it is to use, what parents think of it, and things that could be improved. A midwife, part of the hospital team, will recruit to the study any pregnant person who speaks/reads English and has a smart phone on which they are willing to download and use the app, which is available from the Apple Store and Google Play Store. The app has been accredited as safe by both organisations and the information entered is secure in line with general data protection requirements (GDPR). The midwife will ask whether the app was useful during their pregnancy, and whether anything about their care was changed as a result. The current study does not require researchers to have access to the woman's medical information, it will be conducted by questionnaire, either by e-mail or telephone.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/SC/0052
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion