PreParent: Internet-based Digital Tools to Screen for and Prevent Postpartum Depression in Parents-to-be

NCT ID: NCT07302165

Last Updated: 2025-12-24

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

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

520 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-08-30

Study Completion Date

2027-02-28

Brief Summary

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The goal of this randomized controlled study is to evaluate whether an online intervention that combines psychoeducation and affective cognitive training can help prevent postpartum depression in pregnant women and co-parents who have been identified as having risk factors for postpartum depression through an online screening tool. A total of 520 expecting parents will be enrolled in the intervention trial.

Researchers will compare the online intervention to care as usual (CAU) in the Danish healthcare system to determine whether the intervention has a better preventive effect. The study also involves a low-risk comparison group (n = 5250) who will not receive the intervention but will complete the same assessments for background comparisons.

The main question is:

\- Does the online intervention reduce the number of mothers who develop postpartum depression during the first six months after birth?

Other questions the study addresses include:

* How severe mothers' depressive symptoms are during the first six weeks postpartum, based on weekly online ratings?
* How do parents report their own stress levels and their infant's development six months after birth?

The study will also explore:

* How many co-parents develop postpartum depression during the first six months postpartum.
* Whether mothers experience additional benefit if their co-parent also completes the intervention.

Participants will:

* Complete a 4-5-week online intervention with 8-9 modules that include psychoeducation and cognitive-affective training.
* Complete online questionnaires and outcome assessments from home.
* Participate in a diagnostic interview by phone after birth.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Post-partum Depression

Keywords

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Prevention intervention Postpartum depression Digital psychiatry Online therapy Risk factors Pregnancy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Online prenatal affective cognitive training

Participants in this arm receive a 4-5-week online intervention consisting of 8-9 modules. The program includes psychoeducation on perinatal emotional health and cognitive-affective training exercises designed to reduce risk factors for postpartum depression. All content is completed independently on the online platform.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Online prenatal affective cognitive training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants receive a 4-5 week online intervention concisting of 8-9 modules. The program includes psychoeducation on perinatal emotional health and cognitive-affective training exercises designed to reduce risk factors for postpartum depression. All content is completed idenpendently on the online platform.

Care as usual (CAU)

Participants in this arm receive care-as-usual (CAU) provided within the Danish healthcare system. They do not receive access to the online intervention but complete the same assessments and follow-ups as the intervention group.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Online prenatal affective cognitive training

Participants receive a 4-5 week online intervention concisting of 8-9 modules. The program includes psychoeducation on perinatal emotional health and cognitive-affective training exercises designed to reduce risk factors for postpartum depression. All content is completed idenpendently on the online platform.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Pregnant women in their second or third trimester, or co-parents.
* Age ≥ 18 years.
* Ability to speak and read Danish.
* A cut-off score \> 96 on a test of negative cognitive bias (scale 0-100), and/or a score \> 23 on the Antenatal Risk Questionnaire (ANRQ).
* Co-parents are categorized as at risk if their partner is identified as having risk factors.

Exclusion Criteria

* Current or past mental disorders within ICD-10 categories F00-F29 and F60-F69.
* Current substance use.
* EPDS score ≥ 11 for women or ≥ 10 for men, indicating clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Bergen

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Copenhagen

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Southern Denmark

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Lund University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Mental Health Services in the Capital Region, Denmark

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Kamilla Woznica Miskowiak

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Frederiksberg Hospital, Mental Health Services - Capital Region of Denmark

Copenhagen, , Denmark

Site Status

Countries

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Denmark

References

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Bjertrup AJ, Kofoed J, Egmose I, Wendelboe K, Southgate V, Vaever MS, Miskowiak KW. Prenatal affective cognitive training to reduce the risk of postpartum depression (PACT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2024 Jul 15;25(1):478. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08316-1.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 39010232 (View on PubMed)

Bjertrup AJ, Vaever MS, Miskowiak KW. Prediction of postpartum depression with an online neurocognitive risk screening tool for pregnant women. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2023 Aug;73:36-47. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.04.014. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 37119561 (View on PubMed)

Bjertrup AJ, Jensen MB, Schjodt MS, Parsons CE, Kjaerbye-Thygesen A, Mikkelsen RL, Moszkowicz M, Frokjaer VG, Vinberg M, Kessing LV, Vaever MS, Miskowiak KW. Cognitive processing of infant stimuli in pregnant women with and without affective disorders and the association to postpartum depression. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2021 Jan;42:97-109. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.10.006. Epub 2020 Nov 3.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33158668 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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p-2024-16735

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id