Delivery Mode Impact on Postoperative Depression

NCT07359170 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025P002461
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 4,000
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational retrospective cohort study is to examine the association between mode of delivery and early postpartum depressive symptoms in adult women who delivered at Massachusetts General Hospital. Specifically, the study evaluates whether the urgency of cesarean delivery (elective versus emergency) is associated with differences in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores at 6-8 weeks postpartum, compared with elective cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery. The EPDS is a validated 10-item self-report questionnaire with scores ranging from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms. The primary questions are whether EPDS scores differ among women undergoing emergency cesarean delivery, elective cesarean delivery, and vaginal delivery, and whether perioperative and obstetric factors are associated with postpartum depressive symptoms. This study involves retrospective analysis of de-identified electronic health record data. Participants will not undergo any study-specific interventions.

Conditions

Postoperative Depression

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores, a 10-item self-reported screening tool for postpartum depression (range: 0-30, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms)

  6-8 weeks postpartum

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Prevalence of postpartum depression

  6-8weeks

Study Arms (3)

elective cesarean

patients who undergone elective cesarean

urgent cesarean

patients undergone urgent cesarean

vaginal delivery

patients who delivered by vaginal pass

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

adult patients (≥18 years old) who underwent cesarean delivery or vaginal delivery

You may qualify if:

• Underwent cesarean delivery (elective or emergency) or vaginal delivery during the study period
• Age 18 years or older
• Completed at least one Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) assessment at 6-8 weeks postpartum
• Have complete perioperative data available

You may not qualify if:

• Missing 6-8 week postpartum EPDS scores
• Pregnancy with fetal demise, severe obstetric complications, or atypical maternal conditions
• History of severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), when identifiable
• Incomplete perioperative medical records

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Jingping Wang, MD, Ph.D.: lead

Central Study Contacts

Jingping Wang, MD PhD

CONTACT

6179369136; jwang23@mgh.harvard.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor Staff Anesthesiologist & Pain Physician

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 14, 2026
• First Posted: January 22, 2026
• Study Start: January 15, 2026
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2026
• Study Completion: February 28, 2026
• Last Updated: January 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01