A prenatal bonding intervention for pregnant women with depression V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility of a psychoeducational group intervention to improve parental reflective functioning and bonding in prenatal depression
IRAS ID
302132
Contact name
Fiona Challacombe
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
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.
Lay summary of study results: Recruitment to the study was slower than expected. However, recruitment from mental health clinicians and posters in maternity clinics were both effective. There was a low drop-out rate, suggesting that participants generally found it manageable to take part in the study.
Participants reported that the information from the Baby CHAT group helped them to visualise and connect with their unborn baby in new ways. Many participants described thinking about the group afterwards and trying new activities with their unborn baby. Most participants said that Baby CHAT felt relevant to them and had a positive impact on their mood. Feeling less alone and having solidarity with the other attendees were also important aspects of the group for many participants.
There were promising changes in overall questionnaire scores after participants attended Baby CHAT. We measured potential small to medium effects on bonding and reflective functioning, and large effects on depression symptoms. These effects appeared the strengthen a few weeks after the group.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0527
Date of REC Opinion
13 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion