A Prenatal Bonding Intervention for Pregnant Women With Depression
Condition: Depression; Pregnancy
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The goal of this clinical trial is to test a group for pregnant women with depression that
      aims to help them build a stronger relationship with their unborn baby. The main questions it
      aims to answer are:

        -  Is the group acceptable to pregnant women with depression?

        -  Is it possible to run this group with pregnant women with depression?

      Participants will be asked to:

        -  attend the group (which lasts 90mins)

        -  complete questionnaires before and after the group, and 1 month later
    

Detailed description: 
      Depression during pregnancy is a common mental health problem. Pregnant women with depression
      often continue to feel depressed after their baby is born, which can have several negative
      effects for both mother and child. For example, depressed mothers can find it harder to build
      a good relationship with their baby. Existing treatments for depression may not be sufficient
      to also improve the relationship between mother and baby. Depressed mothers may therefore
      need more specific help with connecting to their baby.

      One promising new intervention is Baby CHAT. Baby CHAT is a single-session group that helps
      expectant parents learn about their unborn baby by viewing moving 4D ultrasound scans. It is
      believed that this will help parents to build a stronger relationship with their unborn baby.
      Baby CHAT has already been trialled with parents without any mental health problems, with
      promising results. This study aims to assess whether Baby CHAT is helpful for pregnant women
      with depression, collect data to inform future large-scale trials, and to develop the
      intervention from participants' feedback. The main research question asks: is Baby CHAT
      acceptable and feasible to deliver with pregnant women with depression?

      Participants eligible to take part in the project will be people aged ≥18 years who are
      pregnant, between 20- and 34-weeks' gestation, and currently experiencing depressive
      symptoms. The project is taking place at an NHS site, with participants recruited from mental
      health and maternity services and online advertising. Participants will attend an online Baby
      CHAT group and complete online questionnaires at three time points (before and after Baby
      CHAT, and at one-month follow-up). The questionnaires will assess participants' relationship
      with their unborn baby, their ability to imagine their unborn baby as a separate person, and
      their level of depressive symptoms. The anticipated study end date is May 2023.
    

Intervention name(s): Baby CHAT
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Baby CHAT is an approximately 90-minute group intervention to be delivered during pregnancy. The group is comprised of psychoeducational material about a baby's social development after birth and while the baby is growing in the womb. Attendees are encouraged to think about when an infant's social development begins and consider whether this occurs before or after birth. Participants are then shown a video clip of Reissland et al.'s (2016) study showing 4D ultrasound images of foetuses mouthing in response to sounds that are presented to them outside the womb. During Baby CHAT, parents are encouraged to reflect on this information in the context of their own baby's development, including their likes and dislikes, routine and personality. The final section of the group involves generating ideas for social activities that parents can try with their baby prior to birth, such as singing to, massaging or reading to their baby.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: Single-arm repeated measures
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Prenatal Bonding; Reflective Functioning; Maternal-Foetal Attachment; Mentalisation; Prenatal Depression; Perinatal Depression