Clinical Research Directory

Technology Supported Mindfulness for Prenatal Depression and Mental Health-related Quality of Life in a Resource-Limited Environment

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a video-guided mindfulness intervention can improve prenatal depression symptoms, improve mental health-related quality of life, reduce the risk of maternal postpartum depression and paternal postpartum depression, and improve neonatal birth outcomes in a resource-constrained setting. This clinical trial will be conducted in pregnant women. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can video-guided mindfulness intervention be effective for prenatal depression treatment as compared to routine care? * Is there a dose-response relationship between the length of a video-guided mindfulness intervention and a reduction in prenatal depression symptoms? * Does a video-guided mindfulness intervention improve mental health-related quality of life more effectively than routine care? * What is the impact of intervention duration on the effectiveness of a video-guided mindfulness intervention for improving mental health-related quality of life? * Can a video-guided mindfulness intervention during pregnancy lead to improved neonatal birth outcomes compared to standard care? * Can a video-guided mindfulness intervention during pregnancy reduce the risk of developing prenatal depression compared to routine care? * Can the treatment of maternal prenatal depression through a video-guided mindfulness intervention reduce the risk of paternal postpartum depression? Researchers will compare the intervention group with a group of pregnant women who screen positive for prenatal depression but continue to receive only routine antenatal care, in order to evaluate differences in prenatal depression symptoms, improvements in mental health-related quality of life, reductions in the risk of maternal and paternal postpartum depression, and improvements in neonatal birth outcomes. Participants (the intervention group) will receive a video-guided mindfulness intervention that they will listen to for eight weeks at their nearest health center three times a week.

Effectiveness of an Online Biopsychosocial Intervention to Improve Well-being and Mental Health During Pregnancy

This study aims to develop and implement a preventive intervention through a mobile application to help pregnant women feel better emotionally and cope with the changes of pregnancy in a more positive way. The idea is to offer practical and accessible tools that allow them to better manage stress, emotions and preparation for motherhood. The intervention proposed in this study is based on psychological strategies that have proven to be effective, such as relaxation exercises, techniques to manage stress and strategies to improve mood, strengthen the relationship with the partner and foster the bond with the baby before its birth. The application is designed to accompany pregnant women from the beginning of pregnancy to the postpartum period. It has different programs that include weekly activities on various important topics, such as physical health care, emotional management, connection with the baby during pregnancy, preparation for childbirth and the first months of the newborn's life. To evaluate the effectiveness of this tool, a study will be carried out with pregnant women treated by the Catalan Health Service. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two study groups: the experimental group (in which participants, in addition to the usual medical care offered during pregnancy, will have access to the programs and activities of the app organized in a weekly plan of 5 activities and will have to answer the study questionnaires at weeks 16 and 36 of pregnancy and postpartum) or the control group (in which participants will receive the usual medical care offered during pregnancy, but will not have access to the programs and activities of the app and will have to answer the study questionnaires at weeks 16 and 36 of pregnancy and postpartum). Women who use the app are expected to experience greater emotional well-being and a lower risk of developing mental health problems during pregnancy. In addition, they may feel more prepared for motherhood, take better care of their health, have a more positive birth experience and a lower risk of postpartum depression. These women are also expected to develop a stronger bond with their baby and adapt better to the new stage of motherhood.

Increasing Physical Contact Between Prenatally Anxious/Depressed Mothers and Their Infants to Improve Maternal Sensitivity.

The goal of this randomized controlled pilot trial is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility of a baby carrier intervention aimed at improving maternal sensitivity and mother-infant bonding in prenatally anxious/depressed mothers. The study has three main questions: 1. Is the intervention feasible (e.g., enrollment and recruitment rates) and acceptable to participants (e.g., compliance and perceived benefits)? 2. Does the intervention improve maternal sensitivity compared to a waitlist control group? 3. Does the intervention increase mother-infant neural synchrony compared to a waitlist control group, measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy? Participants will A. Choose between two soft ergonomic baby carriers and be expected to use the baby carrier for the prescribed amount of time (intervention group). B. Have two home visits, one at the start (at postpartum week 8) and another one at the end of the study (at postpartum week 16). C. Complete questionnaires about depression and anxiety symptoms, mother-infant bonding, and rate protocol burden. D. Share their feelings and lived experiences about the frequent use of a baby carrier and increased physical contact with their baby through open-ended interview questions (intervention group).

Effect of Low-dose Esketamine on Maternal Depression at 3 Years After Childbirth

Postpartum depression refers to the depression after childbirth, which is a common mental disorder in women. The pathogenesis of postpartum depression is not fully understood, and may be related to a variety of factors. Prenatal depression is an important risk factor for postpartum depression. Our recent multicenter randomized controlled trial, "Effect of Low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression", explored the effect of immediate postpartum intravenous infusion of low-dose esketamine on the incidence of postpartum depression in women with prenatal depression. The preliminary results showed that it reduced the incidence of postpartum depression at 42 days. Since there were no studies on the effect of intravenous esketamine infusion after delivery on long-term postpartum depression, this study is a long-term follow-up of the previous randomized trial. We aim to explore the effect of low-dose intravenous esketamine after delivery on the incidence of 2-year maternal depression after delivery in women with prenatal depressive symptoms.