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Can flickering light and pulsed sound shield new mothers from postpartum depression?

NCT ID NCT07807462

Prevention Sponsor: The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 08, 2026 · Last updated Sep 09, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether a head-mounted device delivering 40 Hz flickering light and pulsed sound can reduce the risk of postpartum depression in women having elective cesarean sections. Participants receive three 30-minute sessions starting after delivery, with a placebo group receiving non-flickering light and white noise. The main goal is to compare depression scores at 42 days after birth, also tracking anxiety and sleep. If it works, this non-invasive, drug-free method could offer a simple prevention strategy during routine C-sections.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
40 Hz audiovisual stimulation delivered via a head-mounted device with flickering light and pulsed sound
What this could lead to
If effective, this drug-free approach could offer a safe, accessible way to lower the risk of postpartum depression in women having cesarean sections.
What could go wrong
The trial is early and the effect is uncertain. The placebo uses similar light and sound, so any benefit may be small or due to expectation. Risks are low but include potential discomfort from the stimulation.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 204 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jul 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 49 years

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Women scheduled for elective cesarean section under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia; 2. Age ≥ 18 years; 3. Singleton, full-term pregnancy; 4. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status II-III. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Refusal to sign informed consent; 2. Prior or current diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc.; 3. Preoperative Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥ 13 or presence of suicidal ideation; 4. Current use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, or mood stabilizers; 5. History of epilepsy or seizure-like episodes (any type); 6. Presence of retinal disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataract, or other ocular conditions that may affect light perception or cause abnormal sensitivity to light stimulation; 7. Severe pregnancy complications: severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, severe gestational diabetes mellitus with organ complications, significant placental abruption, or placenta previa with bleeding risk; 8. Allergy to spinal anesthetics (ropivacaine, lidocaine, etc.); 9. Participation in other interventional studies that may affect psychological status; 10. Inability to receive light stimulation.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

postpartum depression prevention target

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Depression, postpartum

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

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  2. The official record

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    Open the record ↗

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang

    Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China

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