Parents' voices could reshape how doctors explain newborn treatments
NCT ID NCT06035640
First seen Sep 10, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
About one in seven babies in the United Kingdom needs treatment on a neonatal unit, and parents often face hard choices about care. The ShAPE study asks parents of babies who received blood transfusions, medication for a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus, or steroids for chronic lung disease to describe their experiences. Through semi-structured interviews, researchers aim to identify which communication, environment, and information factors parents consider most important during shared decision making. The goal is to understand what supports parents and what affects their satisfaction with their baby's care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- semi-structured interviews about parents' experiences of shared decision making
- What this could lead to
- If researchers identify what parents value most in these conversations, neonatal teams could design clearer ways to explain risks, benefits, and alternatives. That may help parents feel more involved and less anxious when treatment choices are made.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small qualitative study of 18 parents at one time point, so its themes may not reflect the views of all families or units. Interviews capture what parents remember and choose to share, and the study tests no treatment, so it cannot prove that any change to communication improves outcomes.
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.
- Participants
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18 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2022
- Finished
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Jan 2026
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a government body.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
This study will recruit parents of infants who have received care on a Neonatal Unit within the past 2years. Given the nature of interventions being studied, these are most likely to be (but not limited to) premature infants.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- 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: * Parent of an Infant who, whilst on a neonatal unit, has received either; a transfusion of blood products, pharmacotherapy for persistent ductus arteriosus or corticosteroid therapy for chronic lung disease Exclusion Criteria: * The infant must have received the above treatments within the last 6 months prior to interview AND have been discharged from neonatal care for at least 4 weeks
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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William Harvey Hospital
Ashford, Kent, TN24 0LZ, United Kingdom
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