# Community Building in Group Antenatal Care in Malawi

> **NIH NIH F31** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $51,974

## Abstract

Proposal Summary
Globally, pregnant people from sub-Saharan Africa, including Malawi experience some of the highest rates of
maternal and infant mortality (439 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 46 infant deaths per 1,000 live
births) as well as high rates of psychological distress. For the health system to effectively reduce these poor
outcomes, it is imperative that quality of care improves during the perinatal period. CenteringPregnancy, an
innovative group antenatal care model recommended by the World Health Organization, addresses gaps in
prenatal care and there is a growing evidence base of positive results. Community building is a core
component of CenteringPregnancy, where women experience a dynamic process of connecting to their peers
and their providers, through consistent group meetings throughout their pregnancy. However, this core
component of the model is not well-defined. Therefore, the purpose of this mixed methods study is to
understand community building in group antenatal care in Malawi. This study will use the research
infrastructure and momentum of the ongoing NINR-funded (R01 NR018115) effectiveness trial for group based
antenatal care in Blantyre district, Malawi, to complete a secondary data analysis of the parent study data as
well as primary qualitative data collection. The specific aims are: Aim 1: Examine the differences in community
building as measured by peer connectedness, provider connectedness, and partner communication, between
the intervention and control group. Aim 2: Determine the difference in outcomes including psychological
distress and birth outcomes, by community building between intervention and control groups. Aim 3: Explore
how women perceive community building within group antenatal care and what changes, if any, they have
experienced in related to community building, specifically in connectedness, communication and decision
making within their relationship with providers, partner, family, and larger community. This study aligns with the
National Institute of Nursing Research’s strategic goal of improving systems and models of care to advance
women’s physical and mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. This training plan will begin a program
of research focused on the promotion of the health and well-being of pregnant and postpartum women living in
low-income settings. This study will inform the expansion of the effective intervention of group antenatal care
both in the US and globally.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10823808
- **Project number:** 1F31NR021094-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anne Batchelder
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $51,974
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-15 → 2026-05-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10823808

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10823808, Community Building in Group Antenatal Care in Malawi (1F31NR021094-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10823808. Licensed CC0.

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