Maternal Stress on Human Milk and Infant Outcomes

NCT ID: NCT04821544

Last Updated: 2025-05-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

500 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-05-01

Study Completion Date

2027-06-30

Brief Summary

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The overarching purpose of this study is to determine if a modified 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (with a focus on self-compassion; MBSC) or 8 weeks of 2000 IU vitamin D supplementation will reduce stress and increase self-compassion in mothers of preterm infants and beneficially modify the human milk produced, and subsequently improve infant health.

Detailed Description

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During every two-week period, newly admitted infants (both preterm \<37 weeks gestational age and term ≥37 weeks gestational age) at performance site Kootenai Health NICU and term infants from the Palouse region will be block randomized to control (standard of care), mindfulness intervention (modified 8-week mindfulness

-based intervention (with a focus on self-compassion; MBSC), or vitamin D supplementation (8-week 2,000 IU vitamin D3 supplementation) groups. The purpose of the nested cohorts is to minimize the postpartum time difference among cohort mothers. Each nested MBSC cohort will undergo the 8-week MBSC intervention with a focus on increasing self-compassion. The MBSC program includes previously developed daily mindfulness practices, guided meditations, routine mindfulness prompts, and four video conference group sessions with a certified mindfulness facilitator.

Maternal data: The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF) will be given to mothers from both groups pre- and post-intervention, and during the 4th week. Saliva, urine, stool, and human milk samples will be collected at the same time points as above. Additional maternal data include: age, race, height, weight (pre-pregnancy and last weight before delivery), parity, delivery mode, chorioamnionitis, preeclampsia, HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet) syndrome, antenatal antibiotics, anti-depressants or other mood-altering/neurochemical medications (current and during pregnancy), diagnosis of depression or other mental illness within the previous 5 years, history of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and any inflammatory or autoimmune diseases.

Infant data: Gestational age, birth weight, ventilation requirement, surgical interventions, patent ductus arteriosus, growth, nutrition prescriptions, saliva, urine and stool samples.

Data collection: All data (not including biosamples) will be collected using REDCap hosted within the UI system.

Sample measurements: Maternal salivary cortisol (marker of stress) and oxytocin (marker of anxiety and "social-closeness") concentrations will be measured using ELISA. Human milk proteins will be identified using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Following proteomic analyses, targeted proteins will be quantified using ELISA and Western Blot. Both maternal and infant saliva, urine and stool samples will be used for metabolomic and transcriptomic sequencing to identify metabolic and molecular changes, respectively, in both mothers and infants. Infant systemic oxidative stress will be measured through urine F2-isoprostanes concentrations (ELISA), and infant intestinal inflammation will be determined with stool calprotectin concentrations (ELISA).

Conditions

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Postpartum Depression Preterm Labor

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Control

Control group will receive link to a free 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction intervention AFTER the 8-weel trial period. This group will also receive placebo gummies that appear the same as the vitamin D gummies.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Mindfulness-based intervention (with a focus on self-compassion; MBSC)

8-week MBSC intervention with a focus on increasing self-compassion. The MBSC program includes previously developed daily mindfulness practices, guided meditations, routine mindfulness prompts, and four video conference group sessions with a certified mindfulness facilitator.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Mindfulness-based intervention (with a focus on self-compassion; MBSC)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

8-week MBSC intervention with a focus on increasing self-compassion

Vitamin D

Vitamin D gummies of 2,000 IU/day for 8 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Vitamin D

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Vitamin D at 2,000 IU/day for 8 weeks.

Interventions

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Mindfulness-based intervention (with a focus on self-compassion; MBSC)

8-week MBSC intervention with a focus on increasing self-compassion

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Vitamin D

Vitamin D at 2,000 IU/day for 8 weeks.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Mothers of newborn infants at Kootenai Health NICU and the Palouse region

Exclusion Criteria

\-
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Oregon State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Kootenai Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Idaho

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Yimin Chen

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Yimin Chen, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Idaho

Locations

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Kootenai Health

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Yimin Chen, PhD

Role: CONTACT

2088857264

Facility Contacts

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Brook Lang, MD

Role: primary

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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5U54GM104944-08

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

P20GM152304

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

20-024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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