Oral Consent Script for Evaluation of a Program to Prevent Pre-Eclampsia and Eclampsia through Calcium Supplementation for Pregnant Women in Nepal

The script is part of a study led by Principal Investigator Kusum Thapa, with IRB No. 00004332. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for pregnant women in Nepal. The District Public Health Office in Dailekh district, in collaboration with Nepal Family Health Program II and the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program, has distributed calcium tablets to pregnant women during antenatal care services. The oral consent script begins with a confirmation of the participant's recent delivery of a baby within the past 6 months. If the participant has not recently delivered, the script ends with a polite dismissal. If the participant has recently delivered, they are invited to participate in a survey about their experience during pregnancy. The survey aims to gather information about the care received during pregnancy, whether the participant received calcium during pregnancy, and their experience with calcium. The participant is assured that their name and residence will be kept confidential, and their responses will not be shared with anyone outside of the study. The participant is informed that there are no direct benefits to participating in the survey, but their feedback may influence future antenatal calcium distribution for pregnant women in Nepal. The participant is also informed of the potential risk of someone overhearing their conversation and their answers no longer being private. The script also provides contact information for the Principal Investigator, Dr. Kusum Thapa, and the Nepal Health Research Council, in case the participant has questions or problems with the study. The participant is then asked for their permission to proceed with the survey.