evaluating overcoming anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum as an online self-directed program

Conditions: Perinatal Anxiety; Perinatal Depression

Summary: the pregnancy and postpartum periods can be joyous times in life; however, they can also be filled with challenging physical, emotional, and lifestyle changes. these changes may lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression amongst new and expecting mothers, which can have negative effects on fetal and infant development (beijers et al., 2010; goodman et al., 2016). the impacts of increased worry about health and safety due to covid-19 as well as future-related uncertainties, paired with social (physical) distancing, may be felt especially strongly in this population. of concern, pregnant and postpartum women have low rates of mental health service use even prior to the pandemic (fonseca et al., 2015). e-health (internet) and m-health (mobile application) psychological interventions are accessible, available at reduced cost, and can be accessed within users' homes, a factor that is particularly important during the pandemic (andrews \& titov, 2010). in this study, the investigators will disseminate a free, online, self-directed cognitive behavioural therapy program to women experiencing symptoms of anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum. this program has shown to be effective at improving symptoms of anxiety and depression when delivered in an in-person group format, and has high acceptability (furer \& reynolds, 2015). the investigators will transfer this program into an online format so that pregnant and postpartum users can navigate the sessions on their own, without the support of a clinician. this program contains six modules which include topics such as coping with negative thoughts, unpacking the myth of the supermom, and managing expectations during pregnancy and postpartum. additionally, material related to covid-19 has been added to the program to target any pandemic-related stress participants may be experiencing. the investigators will collect information about the program's feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness, which will inform future improvements to the program. this program is expected to reduce participants' feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, in addition to improving maternal attachment. it is anticipated that these gains will be maintained when the investigators follow-up with participants one month after program completion. this program has the potential to provide accessible and affordable mental health services to pregnant and postpartum women struggling during the pandemic.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * currently pregnant or within 12 months postpartum * age 18 or older * experiencing symptoms of anxiety * have access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone * have access to the internet * speak english * manitoba resident * willing to provide their name, email address, home address, and phone number exclusion criteria: * current substance use disorder * diagnoses of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia * current suicidality

Keywords: anxiety pregnancy postpartum online self-directed cognitive behavioural therapy randomized controlled trial covid-19