Prevention and Treatment of Maternal Perinatal Depression Using Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Improve Mother and Child Health

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying maternal perinatal depression, the most common complication during pregnancy, which affects both mothers and their childrens early development. This trial aims to improve maternal and child health by screening, treating, and preventing perinatal depression using a culturally adapted low-intensity online cognitive behavioral therapy CBT program called Enjoy your Bump. The study initially planned as a cluster-randomized trial now uses a single-arm design due to recruitment challenges, enrolling pregnant women from multiple antenatal clinics in various Finnish regions. Participants receive standard antenatal care alongside the Enjoy your Bump online self-help intervention that uses CBT techniques such as empathic communication, problem-solving, behavioral activation, and addressing negative thoughts and low confidence. The intervention is tailored to the Finnish cultural and healthcare context. Women undergo this program during pregnancy, focusing on improving depressive symptoms and supporting mental health. Throughout the study, women are assessed for depressive symptoms immediately after the intervention at 26-28 weeks of gestation. Child developmental milestones are evaluated at three months of corrected age after birth. The trial monitors outcomes related to symptom severity, child development, and the influence of biological, psychological, and social factors. The study aims to recruit 500 women for the intervention and measures the impact on both mother and child over time.

Implementation of Prevention and Intervention of Maternal Perinatal Depression to Strengthen Maternal and Child Health