New study compares two types of therapy for postpartum depression in NICU moms
NCT ID NCT06991166
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 09, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests two types of talk therapy—cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT)—for postpartum depression in mothers whose babies are in the NICU. About 72 mothers will receive either 4 weeks of one therapy or 8 weeks of both, to see which approach reduces depression symptoms best. The goal is to find more effective ways to help this high-risk group.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy (talk therapy)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could show which type of talk therapy works best for postpartum depression in high-risk mothers, potentially improving treatment options.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 72 participants, so results may not apply to all mothers. The therapies are well-studied, but individual responses vary.
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
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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
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About 72 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Mother of NICU infant * Older than age 18 * English-speaking * Gave birth more than 24 hours ago and less than 12 months prior to enrollment * Depression as assessed by: Current/Prior diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder OR EPDS score above 10 OR EPDS score below 10 AND Endorsement of "sometimes" or "often" on item #10 on the EPDS\* ("I have had thoughts of harming myself") Exclusion Criteria: * A diagnosis of Substance Dependency or Substance Use * Acute suicidal or infanticidal ideation * Current psychosis * Medical history of cognitive impairment * Infant death of current NICU admission * Marked non-compliance with intervention (e.g, non-attendance of more than one session during a 4-week intervention or failure to complete study assessments), * Are in medical treatment that would prevent participation (i.e., medical treatment that requires inpatient hospitalization and thus would prevent participation of study visits.)
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hackensack University Medical Center
RECRUITINGHackensack, New Jersey, 07601, United States
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