VR headsets tested as depression fix for bedridden pregnant women
NCT ID NCT07279311
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether virtual reality (VR) therapy can reduce depressive symptoms in pregnant women who are hospitalized for at least three weeks. Participants will either receive VR-based behavioral activation therapy or standard social work consultations. The goal is to see if VR is acceptable, safe, and effective in this unique setting.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- virtual reality behavioral activation therapy
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to treat depression in pregnant women who are stuck in the hospital and can't do normal mood-boosting activities.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 44 people, so results may not apply widely. VR might cause discomfort or not be better than standard care.
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 44 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 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: * Patients admitted to Stanford Children's Hospital antepartum unit for obstetric indications that are likely to warrant \>3 weeks of hospitalization (such as vasa previa, preterm premature rupture of membranes, severe preeclampsia). * Able to read and write in English or Spanish * Baseline EPDS score on admission \>=10 on routine screening * Admitted \>24 hours prior to enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with serious neuropsychiatric illness (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, or suicidal ideation) * Known delivery planned within the next 3 weeks
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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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Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a smartphone app ease perinatal depression in immigrant mothers?