View clinical trials related to Prenatal Stress.
Filter by:Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the perinatal period. A recent report found that nearly 50% of new mothers in London (where 40% of the population is of ethnic minority background) display symptoms of postnatal depression (PND). A 2022 report by the London School of Economics (LSE) found that treating maternal mental illness could save the National Health Service (NHS) £52 million over 10 years; in 2014, the LSE calculated that two-thirds of that cost is linked to adverse child development. Prenatal depression results in adverse outcomes for the mother and infant, which are also linked to the impact of postnatal depression on the emotional relationship and attachment between the mother and the child. The major risk for developing depression postnatally is a history of depression, either in the lifetime or during pregnancy. Several studies highlight that antenatal depression rates are higher in ethnic minority women. However, the percentage of ethnically diverse women in most studies on perinatal depression is negligible. Additionally, ethnic minority women are less represented in perinatal mental health therapeutic settings. Preliminary evidence indicates prenatal yoga reduces anxiety and depression and improves mother-foetal attachment. Ethnic minorities support mind-body interventions such as yoga and may be more likely to engage in community-based activities than traditional antenatal classes. An 8-week feasibility study will assess the feasibility and acceptability of a yoga-based intervention for ethnic minority women in London.
The rapidly spreading coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic is a major concern worldwide and Italy is at the forefront of this emergency. At the present moment, the effects on the offspring of Covid-19 disease in pregnant women and/or the indirect effect of COVID-19-related prenatal maternal stress are poorly understood. Epigenetic mechanisms - and especially DNA methylation - are involved in the embedding of prenatal exposures to large-scale disasters into the epigenome and phenotypic outcomes of the offspring. Specific target genes include SLC6A4, NR3C1, OXTR, BDNF, and FKBP5. The central hypothesis of this project is that the exposure to the COVID-19-related prenatal maternal stress may affect infants' outcomes from birth to 12 months partially through increased methylation of target genes involved in stress regulation. The main goal is to investigate the association between Covid-19 disease in pregnancy or COVID-19-related PMS in women pregnant during the first 9 months of the year 2020 and the emotional, social, and cognitive developmental outcomes in their infants from birth to 12 months. Additionally, the role of target genes methylation in mediating this association will be investigated. Mothers and their infants will be enrolled from the delivery units of eleven neonatal facilities located in Northern Italy's COVID-19 contagion hotspot. One group will be enrolled from April to October 2020 (COVID-Exposure Pregnancy, CEP), a second group will be enrolled from April to October 2021 (Non-Exposure Pregnancy, NEP). Moreover, the CEP group will include mothers positive or exposed to COVID-19-related MPS during different trimesters of pregnancy, allowing within-group comparisons on developmentally sensitive time windows. Within 48 hours from baby delivery, saliva samples will be obtained from CEP and NEP newborns, immediately stored at -20°C and analyzed for epigenetic analyses using Next-Generation Sequencing. At 3 and 6 months, mothers will be asked to fill-in validated and reliable questionnaires on the emotional and social-behavioral development of their infants. At 12 months, infants' stress regulation and maternal sensitivity will be evaluated through video recording of mother-infant interactions. This study will provide unprecedented relevant insights on the biochemical mechanisms underlying the impact of Covid-19 disease and the related PMS on human offspring's developmental outcomes.
There are studies in the literature that associate oxytocin level with postpartum depression. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between oxytocin levels measured during pregnancy and postpartum depression symptoms.
Down syndrome is the most common genetic disorder in the society that causes mental retardation. Today, screening tests (combined test, triple screening, ultrasonography and age) are performed for the diagnosis of down syndrome for all pregnant women. As a result of screening tests, amniocentesis is performed as a diagnostic test for the group at risk. Chromosome analysis from amniotic fluid requires a 3-week period for chromosome cultures to yield results. Several levels of biochemical markers, such as organic acids and pyridoxine metabolites, have been found to be elevated in the amniotic fluid. The investigators also plan to investigate ischemia-modified albumin, hepatocyte growth factor level in amniotic fluid.
The overall purpose of this study is to determine whether implementing a 'Prenatal Consult Bundle' to the existing prenatal consult, including provision of sample questions, added discussion points and handouts, and a return visit, will decrease parental anxiety and improve information recall. Additionally, this study will determine if this effect is further increased with the use of illustrated literature.
This pilot project aims to implement and investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a unique community based prenatal care and support model for African American women and infants in Dane County. The model, the "Today Not Tomorrow Pregnancy and Infant Support Program (TNT-PISP)" builds on emerging evidence about how to effectively implement and sustain prenatal care in black communities. It combines three approaches-community-based doula programs; group-based models of prenatal care, such as Centering Pregnancy; and community-based pregnancy support groups-into once monthly group sessions held during the prenatal and immediate postpartum period. The project is based at the Today Not Tomorrow Family Resource Center in Madison's East Side Community Center, and carried out in close collaboration with Project Babies, Harambee Village Doulas, and the African American Breastfeeding Alliance of Dane County, Inc.
This study employs a randomized controlled trial of an established intervention, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) adapted for pregnancy, to examine effects on various aspects of maternal psychological stress during pregnancy (magnitude and trajectories of stress) and offspring brain systems integral to healthy and maladaptive emotion regulation. This study considers other potential influences on maternal stress and psychiatric symptomatology, and infant behavior and brain development. The study population is pregnant women aged 21-45, and their infants.
The investigators are studying strategies and tools that women can use to manage stress and wellness during pregnancy. The purpose of this project is to test a technology-enhanced version of a wellness intervention for women during their pregnancy (the Mothers and Babies course; MB). The technology that the investigators will test includes wearable heart rate sensors, smartphone text message surveys, and intervention materials delivered through text message.