Clinical Research Directory

Preventing Postpartum Depression in Immigrant Latinas

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects 10-20% of women, with immigrant Latinas disproportionately affected. PPD prevention and treatment is limited among immigrant Latinas due to an array of structural and cultural factors, suggesting the need to deliver interventions outside of traditional healthcare settings. Virtual interventions have the potential to reduce barriers to mental health services for immigrant Latinas, but there is little research on the effectiveness of virtual interventions to reduce PPD symptoms. Mothers and Babies is an evidence-based group intervention based on principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy and attachment theory aimed at PPD prevention. Mothers and Babies was adapted for delivery via a virtual group format (Mothers and Babies Virtual Group; MB-VG), with a pilot study suggesting good feasibility and acceptability as well as improved mental health outcomes for immigrant Latinas. The proposed project is a Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation randomized controlled trial among pregnant individuals and new mothers at risk for PPD based on elevated depressive symptoms and/or other established risk factors who are enrolled in early childhood programs across Maryland. A total of 300 women will be enrolled; 150 will receive MB-VG while 150 will receive usual family support services. The project aims to evaluate: 1) the effectiveness of MB-VG to reduce depressive symptoms, prevent onset of PPD, and improve parenting self-efficacy and responsiveness; 2) implementation of MB-VG; and 3) contextual factors influencing MB-VG effectiveness and implementation. Trained early childhood center staff will deliver MB-VG sessions, with intervention participants receiving virtual group sessions via Zoom using any electronic device (smartphone, tablet, laptop). Maternal self-report surveys are conducted at baseline, 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months post-intervention, with structured clinical interviews also conducted at 3- and 6-months post-intervention. The study is the first to deliver a virtual PPD preventive intervention to immigrant Latinas and to evaluate its impact. Given its virtual delivery modality, MB-VG can be easily replicated and scaled to other family support programs and settings serving immigrant Latinas. If effective and implemented broadly, more immigrant Latinas will receive mental health services and fewer will suffer the negative consequences associated with PPD.

Improving Maternal Mental Health & SUD Screening and Treatment

The purpose of the study is to compare a text message-based mental health and substance use screening and referral to a treatment program, called Listening to Women and Pregnant and Postpartum People (LTWP), to standard of care in-person mental health and substance use screening to look at rates of treatment attendance and retention in treatment. Participation would involve completing online questionnaires. You may be eligible to participate if you are age 18-45 years, are pregnant and entering prenatal care in one of MUSC's OB clinics, and attended a prenatal appointment at an MUSC clinic.

Efficacy of Yoga-Based Intervention in Improving Mother-Child Bonding in Maternal Depression

Perinatal depression (PND), defined as a depressive episode occurring from the antenatal period through 12 months following childbirth, has a reported prevalence of 12-22%, with higher rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including India. PND has a multifaceted and detrimental impact on both the mother and the child during a critical window of the child's emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Mother-infant bonding - the affective relationship that develops between a mother and her infant - is significantly impaired by maternal depression. Impaired bonding leads to poor antenatal attachment, earlier cessation of breastfeeding, risk of child maltreatment and neglect, and diminished reciprocal emotional and cognitive growth in the infant. The maternal brain undergoes significant neurobiological adaptations during the perinatal period to facilitate recognition of infant emotional cues, reward-driven bonding experiences, and reciprocal emotional responses. These include changes in oxytocin signalling, cortisol regulation, and functional connectivity of brain regions involved in maternal behaviour. Perinatal depression disrupts these neurobiological processes. Yoga-based interventions offer a safe, cost-effective, culturally acceptable, non-pharmacological approach. Yoga has demonstrated efficacy in improving depression and anxiety in perinatal populations. Its mechanisms include modulation of the HPA axis, reduction of cortisol, enhancement of oxytocin release, and promotion of mindful interoceptive awareness - directly relevant to the neurobiological disruptions in PND. This randomised controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of a structured 3-week bedside yoga intervention as an add-on to treatment as usual in improving mother-infant bonding scores, depression scores, and peripheral oxytocin and cortisol levels in mothers with perinatal depression. The study additionally explores the baseline neural correlates of mother-infant bonding using Event Related Potentials (ERP) and functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain.

Implementation of a Clinical Decision Support Tool for Postpartum Depression

This study will evaluate the use of an automated process in the electronic health record (EHR) that will help providers to detect patients at risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD).

Ketamine Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics for Postpartum Depression and Pain After Cesarean Delivery

The purpose of this study is to identify pharmacokinetics of postpartum ketamine infusion. This study will assess ketamine kinetics and metabolism in this setting. Ketamine is expected to exert different kinetics during the physiologic state of post-pregnancy. The goal in conducting this study is to better understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of postpartum ketamine infusion. A secondary goal is to compare these kinetics to reproductive age matched controls and to assess sex differences in ketamine pharmacokinetics. The peripartum group of this study will receive ketamine after cesarean delivery, while the control group will consist of non-pregnant female subjects and male subjects receiving the same infusion protocol.

Gestational Diabetes and Perinatal Depression: an Intervention Program

Background: The gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal depression are both global public health issues with high prevalence. Non-perinatal diabetes mellitus and depression are confirmed to have reciprocal influence, which is bidirectional relationship. However, there are still no any confirmations of relationship in the perinatal period. The reason could be that these kinds of studies mostly had been done for postpartum depression, they had rarely been discussed with a clearly sequential influence between gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal depression. Additionally, there have not been so many Asian countries which been done this kind of studies, therefore, this study will focus on the relationship of gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal depression. Purpose: This study will discuss the bidirectional relationship of gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal depression. In the other words, the prenatal depression influences on gestational diabetes mellitus, and vice versa. Those changeable factors, such as social support, health behavior, prenatal body index, weight gain during pregnancy, perinatal complications…etc, will be tested for whether they could be regulators or not between the gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal depression.Afterwards, a part of participants with diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus will receive the intervention of health education to influence the health behavior, then depression and other obstetrics and gynecological results will be tested for effects.

Effect of Listening to Surah Al-Inshirah (The Opening-Up of the Heart) After Cesarean Birth on Postpartum Outcomes

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of listening to the recitation of Surah Al-Inshirah during the early postpartum period after cesarean birth on women's spiritual well-being, depression levels, and maternal attachment. The postpartum period is a sensitive phase characterized by physical recovery, emotional changes, and adaptation to the maternal role, particularly following cesarean delivery. Spiritual and religious practices are commonly used as coping strategies in this period, especially in Muslim populations. In this study, women who have undergone cesarean birth will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will listen to the recitation of Surah Al-Inshirah in addition to receiving routine postpartum care, while the control group will receive routine postpartum care only. Outcomes related to spiritual well-being, postpartum depression, and maternal attachment will be assessed within the first 48 hours after birth. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and low-cost supportive care practices in the early postpartum period.

Admission to Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Ward and Maternal Postpartum Depression

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if extended admission to the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) ward helps to prevent postpartum depression in mothers of low birthweight infants in a low-resource setting whose newborns were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) more than standard of care KMC. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does longer KMC decrease the incidence of postpartum depression in mothers of low birthweight infants in a low-resource setting? * Does longer KMC improve neurodevelopmental outcomes of low birthweight infants at 6, 12, and 18 months in a low-resource setting? * What are the barriers to practicing KMC in low birthweight infants following hospital discharge in a low-resource setting? * What is the prevalence of paternal depression in a low resource setting? * Is it cost effective to admit preterm mother-infant dyads to the KMC ward following NICU discharge? Researchers will compare (extended admission to the KMC ward) to (standard of care KMC) to see if extended KMC decreases PPD in mothers of preterm infants in low-resource settings. Participants (infants) will: * At time of discharge from the NICU, when clinically stable, spend either \< 2 days in the KMC ward with their mothers or spend longer in the KMC ward until discharge. * Return to clinic at routine follow-up visits (at 2 weeks and at 6-8 weeks) where mothers will be screened for postpartum depression and fathers will be screened for depression. * Return to clinic for neurodevelopmental screening at 6, 12, and 18 months where mothers will be screened for postpartum depression and perceived social support and fathers will be screened for depression.

Improving Cognition and Gestational Duration With Targeted Nutrition

The goal of this clinical trial is to test (1) a novel maternal ready-to-use supplementary food and (2) a novel cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in undernourished Sierra Leonean women. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Will the addition of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as well as choline, to a maternal ready-to-use supplementary food (M-RUSF+) prolong gestation when compared with a similar supplementary food except that it lacks DHA, EPA, and choline (M-RUSF)? * Will M-RUSF+ improve infant cognitive development at 9 months of age when compared with M-RUSF? * Will the novel CBT program improve ante- and post-partum depression?

Poor Sleep During Pregnancy as Risk Factor for Post-partum Stress and Mental Health

Improving maternal mental health is a worldwide health priority. Nevertheless, several scientific sources highlighted lack of empirical data which could drive clinical practice. The present project addresses psychobiological mechanisms leading to peripartum mental disorders. It focuses on one key risk factor for psychopathology, which is poor sleep continuity. The project aims to describe the link between maternal poor sleep quality and the cascade of events which may enhance vulnerability to stress and risk for mental disorders and to evaluate the efficacy of an online automated psychological prenatal intervention directed to sleep problems in preventing these negative outcomes.

The Mom and Infant Outcomes (MOMI) Study

The investigator's long-term goal is to mitigate pregnancy-related mortality (PRM) risk by systematically delivering scalable integrated clinical and supportive care that is effective for all. The investigator's central hypothesis is that the Multi-modal Maternal Infant Perinatal Outpatient Delivery System (MOMI PODS) will mitigate postpartum (PP) risk for all by increasing patient engagement with evidence-based cilnical and supportive care, thus improving biopsychosocial profiles that drive clinical risk. To test this hypothesis, the investigators will conduct a hybrid type 1 randomized controlled trial (RCT) of MOMI PODS versus enhanced usual care (EUC, which we will term MOMI CARE) among a total sample of up to 384 mother-infant dyads (192/group) following pregnancy affected by a cardiometabolic and/or mental health condition. The investigators will enroll participants during late pregnancy and collect data at baseline and 6 months and 1 year PP. The investigators will collect implementation and service data across sites.

A Long-Term Study of Patient-Reported Changes in Postpartum Depression Symptoms in People Starting Zuranolone

In this study, researchers will learn how postpartum depression symptoms may change after people first start taking zuranolone. This is a drug available for doctors to prescribe for people with postpartum depression, also known as PPD. After giving birth, people with PPD can suffer from symptoms like tiredness, sadness, and a loss of interest in their daily activities. This is known as an "observational" study, which collects health information about study participants without changing their medical care. Participants for this study will be found in the United States using a database from Accredo Specialty Pharmacy. This will include anyone who has a new prescription for zuranolone and were pregnant in the last 12 months before joining the study. The main goal of this study is to learn more about how zuranolone affects the participants' PPD symptoms. This will be done using a questionnaire called the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, also known as the EPDS. The main question that researchers want to answer is: • Do PPD symptoms change after treatment with zuranolone based on EPDS scores measured at Day 15? Researchers will also learn about : * Changes in participants' EPDS scores at Day 45 and Day 90 in the study * Changes in EPDS scores at Day 15, Day 45, and Day 90 in a group of participants who have moderately severe PPD before starting zuranolone * How many participants breastfeed their babies while taking zuranolone * How many participants report not starting new medicine after finishing their zuranolone treatment The study will be done as follows: * People with PPD who get a new zuranolone prescription through Accredo Specialty Pharmacy will be contacted by email or phone to ask them about their interest in participating in the study. * Before taking their first dose of zuranolone, participants will be asked to answer written questions about their symptoms using the online EPDS survey. They will also answer other survey questions about their background, environment, and general health information. Participants must take their first dose of zuranolone within 7 days of joining the study. * Participants will then be asked to answer questions using the EPDS survey, 15 days, 45 days, and 90 days after taking the first dose of zuranolone. Each survey will take about 10-15 minutes to finish.

The Effect of Art-Based Mandala Coloring Activity on Postpartum Anxiety and Postpartum Depression

The postpartum period is a critical time for women's physical and psychological health, during which significant hormonal, emotional, and social changes occur. During this period, many women experience increased stress, anxiety, and emotional vulnerability while adapting to new parental responsibilities and caring for a newborn. When these challenges are not adequately managed, they may contribute to the development of postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression, which can negatively affect maternal well-being, mother-infant bonding, breastfeeding practices, and child development. Despite the importance of postpartum mental health, non-pharmacological and easily accessible supportive interventions remain limited. This randomized controlled experimental study aims to evaluate the effect of a structured, art-based mandala coloring activity on postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression among postpartum women. The study will be conducted at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Health Practice and Research Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, and will include women who have recently given birth at this institution. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Women in the intervention group will receive individual training in mandala coloring before hospital discharge and will be provided with mandala coloring materials for home use. They will be encouraged to engage in the mandala coloring activity over an eight-week period and will be followed through regular telephone contacts. In addition to monitoring participation in the activity, individualized supportive counseling will be provided based on participants' needs. Women in the control group will receive routine postpartum care without any additional intervention. Postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression levels will be assessed at multiple time points during the study to examine changes over time. This study seeks to determine whether mandala coloring, as a low-cost and non-pharmacological art-based activity, may serve as a supportive approach to improve psychological well-being during the postpartum period. The findings may contribute to the development of accessible interventions aimed at supporting maternal mental health in the early postpartum period.

Public Health Nurse-Peer Co-Led Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postpartum Depression

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an online 9-week group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT; a type of talking therapy) intervention that is co-led by public health nurses (PHNs) and individuals who have previously recovered (i.e., lay peers) from postpartum depression (PPD) for treating PPD when delivered in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) compared to TAU alone. The study will also assess the impact of the intervention on common comorbidities (anxiety) and complications (parenting stress, mother-infant relationship, social support, and infant temperament) of PPD and whether it is cost-effective.

Postpartum 1-Day CBT Pilot Study (Türkiye)

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a culturally adapted, one-day online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based group workshop for women with postpartum depression in Türkiye. The intervention was adapted from a validated model developed in Ontario, Canada, using Bernal's cultural adaptation framework. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a workshop group, who will receive the one-day online CBT-based workshop within the first month after enrollment, or a control group who will continue to receive usual postpartum care throughout the study period. Data will be collected at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Frequency of Actions and Thoughts Scale (FATS), and the TÜRBAD Satisfaction Questionnaire (TÜRBAD-SQ). The study will assess feasibility indicators including recruitment, randomization procedures, completion of study questionnaires, retention through the 3-month follow-up, and adherence to the one-day workshop. Acceptability and preliminary changes in depressive, anxiety, and cognitive-behavioral outcomes will also be explored. This pilot trial represents the first culturally adapted, one-day online CBT-based group intervention for postpartum depression in Türkiye and will inform the design of a future large-scale randomized controlled trial.

Understanding the Role of Doulas in Supporting People With PMADs

Detailed Description The doula-led intervention developed during the first phase of this project will be pilot tested for feasibility. Following the recruitment procedures described in the recruitment and retention plan, approximately 75 participants will be enrolled into the study. Twenty-five of the participants will receive regular doula care and 25 of the participants will receive care from a doula trained in the PMAD doula training throughout their pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum time period, following the intervention procedures developed in Aim 2 of this study. Twenty-five women will not receive care from a doula and will receive perinatal care as usual. Women in all groups will take surveys via REDCap during their enrollment in the intervention, at 1 month postpartum, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum (at the conclusion of the intervention). All participants who receive the PMAD doula intervention will complete checklists after each session with their doula, to assess fidelity to the intervention. Participant communication with their doula via patient notebook will also be assessed for fidelity to the intervention.

Prenatal Yoga to Prevent Postpartum Depression

Although psychological interventions exist for the prevention of PPD, a yoga-based intervention to prevent PPD among at-risk women utilizes a similar theoretical foundation (i.e., mindfulness), may be more acceptable to women of minority status, and may confer additional physical activity benefits. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine the effectiveness of using a virtually delivered prenatal yoga intervention for the prevention of PPD among at-risk women in a diverse health care system and explore preliminary factors which influence implementation of the intervention. This study has 2 phases: Phase 1 will evaluate facilitators and barriers to intervention implementation among patient, clinician, and health system stakeholders, followed by an open trial, and Phase 2 will include conducting an 8-session pilot randomized controlled trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the proposed prenatal yoga intervention among women with a history of depression, as well as the onset and course of PPD and mediating factors. The specific aims are to: 1) Optimize delivery of a yoga intervention within a healthcare system to prevent PPD through examining facilitators and barriers of implementation, 2) Examine feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction of the intervention within a health care system, and 3) Evaluate preliminary effectiveness of the intervention on PPD and proposed mechanisms. For Phase 1, separate focus groups with patient stakeholders and clinician and administrative stakeholders will inform intervention implementation, and an open trial to refine and optimize the intervention. For Phase 2, women with a history of depression who are 8-28 weeks pregnant will be randomized to the intervention group (n=24) or treatment-as-usual (n=24) and will complete survey measures at baseline, post-intervention, and 1 and 3 months postpartum. It is hypothesized that the intervention will be feasible and acceptable, engage women of racial/ethnic minority status, and contribute to lower rates of PPD onset. Embodiment and mindfulness are the proposed mediators. Knowledge gained from this study can support prevention efforts for PPD and improve the adverse public health impact of this disorder.

Postpartum Care in the NICU (PeliCaN) Transitions

This is a randomized controlled trial of a dyad-centered, doula support and healthcare coordination model of care in a large urban neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which serves a high-risk, low-income, majority Black population. In addition to doula support and coordination of care in the NICU, there will be a warm handoff to a community doula to continue the support once infants leave the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) NICU.

Engage & Connect: A Psychotherapy for Postpartum Depression

This randomized controlled trial compares a novel psychotherapy, Engage \& Connect, with a Symptom Review and Psychoeducation intervention, tailored to reduce postpartum depression. The study includes 9-weeks interventions, delivered remotely. It will examine changes in social isolation, processing of social rewards and depression severity over 9 weeks of treatment.

Mother-infant Bonding in the Brain: a Mindfulness-based Intervention

The study investigates the effectiveness of the mindfulness-based intervention "Mindful with your Baby" in women with babies between 5-9 months postpartum who experience heightened levels of postpartum depression, anxiety and/or parental stress. The intervention "Mindful with your Baby" is one of the very few interventions for maternal postnatal mental health issues that takes the bond between mother and infant into account. It is hypothesized that the "Mindful with your Baby" intervention will reduce levels of postpartum depression, anxiety and parental stress, and improve mother-infant behavioral interaction and increase neural synchrony between mother and infant brains.

Smartphone Application to Support Mothers at Risk of Postpartum Depression

Effectiveness of a Smartphone Application for Mothers at High Risk for Postpartum Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial Abstract Aim: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a smartphone application in reducing symptoms of postpartum depression among Jordanian women. Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mental health condition affecting an estimated 14-27% of mothers and negatively impacting infant health. Social support and certain psychological therapies have been shown to reduce depressive symptoms in postpartum women. Smartphone applications may provide a viable means of delivering psychological interventions to mothers experiencing such symptoms. Method: A randomized controlled trial will be conducted at two maternal and child health clinics in Irbid, Jordan. A total of 295 women will be invited to participate and will be asked to provide sociodemographic data and complete the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 6-8 weeks (baseline) and again at 3 months postpartum. Women with a depressive symptom score of ≥13 (n ≈ 79) will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n ≈ 58) or the control group (n ≈ 57). The intervention will involve an Android smartphone application called Serene Motherhood, which will enable mothers to access evidence-based cognitive techniques and health information at any time.

Efficacy of MI078 Capsules in Treating Postpartum Depression

This study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. It includes three groups. Each group will enroll 24 participants. The trial aims todetermine： To evaluate the efficacy of MI078 capsules in treating postpartum depression and to explore the optimal dosing regimen for MI078 capsules. To assess the safety of MI078 capsules in postpartum depression patients.

Whole-Body Hyperthermia for Mood and Anxiety Disorders

This study aims to examine the scientific mechanisms of whole-body hyperthermia (WBH), a novel, rapidly acting, single session antidepressant and anxiolytic therapy. It also aims to determine its feasibility and acceptability in women with postpartum depression (PPD). The study will enroll four cohorts of participants: healthy postpartum controls; postpartum women with PPD; healthy adult controls; and adults with major depressive disorder or anxiety disorders in a longitudinal protocol.

Neuraxial Labor Analgesia and Offspring Neurodevelopment

How perinatal factors affect the long-term development of children has always been an issue of much concern. This study is designed to explore the potential impact of maternal neuraxial labor analgesia exposure on offspring neurodevelopment.