Could a simple STI test prevent preterm birth?
NCT ID NCT07458802
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study will test whether screening pregnant women for chlamydia and gonorrhea can reduce the risk of preterm birth. About 2,000 women in Botswana will be randomly assigned to receive either standard care or additional STI testing early in pregnancy and again in the third trimester. The goal is to see if finding and treating these infections lowers the number of babies born before 37 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening test
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could lead to a simple, cost-effective way to prevent preterm birth and improve newborn health in high-risk regions.
- What could go wrong
- This is a screening study, not a treatment trial. It may not show a clear benefit, and results may not apply to other populations or settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 2,000 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2030
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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15 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Asymptomatic for cervicovaginitis at first ANC (i.e., not syndromically treated for an STI by clinic midwives at first ANC) 2. Age ≥ 15 years 3. Currently pregnant 4. ≤20 weeks gestation (based on gestational age in obstetric record or last menstrual period if gestational age missing from record) 5. Attending first ANC visit 6. Residence in Gaborone, Bostwana or surrounding villages through the time of delivery 7. Mentally competent to understand study procedures or give informed consent
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Botswana Harvard Health Partnership
RECRUITINGGaborone, Botswana
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