Can Oxytocin Level Predict Postpartum Depression?

October 24, 2023 updated by: Northwestern University

Can Prenatal Plasma Oxytocin Concentration Predict Likelihood of Postpartum Depression? An Opportunity for Early Intervention and Prevention in a Vulnerable Population

The goal of this research study is to understand the relationship between the hormone oxytocin and postpartum mood.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects some one in five new mothers, and adversely influences maternal adaptation to motherhood. While it is known that women with a prior history of depression, or depression during pregnancy, are at elevated risk for postpartum depression, many women with no prior history of depression or other risk factors go on to develop depression in the postpartum period. Considering the grave consequences of postpartum depression on maternal infant bonding and childhood psychological development, it is critical to develop reliable methods to identify which women, who are not depressed during pregnancy, will become depressed after delivery.

The biological pathways leading to depression at any time in life, including around pregnancy, are still poorly characterized. Oxytocin (OT), a hormone involved in delivery and lactation, has received recent attention regarding its additional role in maternal emotions and care taking behaviors after birth. The primary goal is explore the relationship between plasma oxytocin and postpartum mood.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

68

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy Pregnant Women

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. At least 18 years of age
  2. English-speaking
  3. Pregnant (third trimester at time of visit)

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Current active depression or other mental illness at time of study entry in the third trimester (past depression or anxiety is acceptable)
  2. Current antidepressant treatment
  3. Severe medical complications in current pregnancy (gestational diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease)
  4. Signs of multiple gestation or of fetal malformation in current pregnancy
  5. Cigarette smoking beyond 10th week of gestation of current pregnancy
  6. Pre-pregnancy BMI > 32

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report (IDS-SR-30)
Time Frame: 4-6 weeks post delivery
The IDS-SR-30 is a validated, widely used tool to evaluate depressive symptoms and clinical depression. Participants will complete this questionnaire in person or through telephone interview.
4-6 weeks post delivery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Collaborators

Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Suena H Massey, MD, Northwestern University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

December 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 12, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 18, 2013

First Posted (Estimated)

December 24, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 26, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 24, 2023

Last Verified

October 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 00082402

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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