Delivery Mode Impact on Postoperative Depression

Impact of Elective Versus Emergency Cesarean Delivery on Early Postpartum Depression: a Retrospective Study

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT07359170

Enrollment

4000

Registered

2026-01-22

Start date

2026-10-15

Completion date

2027-12-28

Last updated

2026-06-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Postoperative Depression

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.

Interventions

None listed

Study design

Observational model

COHORT

Time perspective

RETROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

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

Exclusion criteria

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

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
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

Measure	Time frame	Description
Prevalence of postpartum depression	6-8weeks	Prevalence of postpartum depression (EPDS ≥ threshold) across delivery groups.

Contacts

CONTACTJingping Wang, MD PhD

jwang23@mgh.harvard.edu6179369136

Outcome results