postnatal depression postpartum depression
Conditions
Interventions
24 IU intranasal oxytocin and placebo
Sponsors
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen
Eligibility
Age
No minimum to 64 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: • Mothers with a healthy infant between 0 and 9 months of age • With a diagnosis of postpartum depression, that is, scores of >=7 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a postpartum depression diagnosis confirmed through the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: • Current mental disorder other than depression or an anxiety disorder • PPD with psychotic symptoms • Neurological disorders, endocrine diseases, cardiovascular diseases, nose injuries and disorders, use of medication other than oral contraceptives or anti-depressant medication • Regular use of soft drugs, hard drug use within the past three months, or excessive alcohol intake • Pregnancy • Preterm birth (
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Main study parameters are: - Maternal sensitivity during interaction with mother*s own infant and with a crying infant simulator - Maternal stress reactivity, assessed with heart rate and salivary cortisol - Recognition of infant facial emotional expressions | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| • We will examine the extent to which effects of oxytocin are moderated by mothers* early childhood experiences. Early childhood experiences are known to moderate effects of nasally administered oxytocin (Ellis et al., 2021, see research protocol), possibly also in mothers with postpartum depression. • We will examine whether oxytocin affects mothers* mood and the perceived relationship with her child. | — |
Countries
Netherlands
Outcome results
None listed