Couples program to prevent depression during pregnancy and after birth in rural India
Adaptation and pilot testing of a couples-based intervention to prevent perinatal depression in rural India
A couples-based program to help first-time pregnant women and their partners in rural India lower the chance of depression during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11371935 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will adapt proven couples-based approaches so the program fits local languages, customs, and family roles in rural central India. You and your partner may be invited to join a short, structured program during your first pregnancy and could be randomly assigned to the couples program or to usual care. The team will gather your feedback and measure mood, relationship support, and early parenting outcomes through pregnancy and the postpartum period to see whether the program is acceptable, feasible, and shows early promise. Findings will be used to refine the program before a larger trial.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are first-time pregnant women (primiparous) and their partners who live in rural central India.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, not first-time parents, not in a partnered relationship, or not living in the study area are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could reduce perinatal depression, increase partner support, and improve outcomes for mothers and their children in rural India.
How similar studies have performed: Couples-based preventive programs have reduced perinatal depression in higher-income countries, but preventive couples interventions are largely untested in low-resource rural Indian settings.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gopalakrishnan, Lakshmi — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Gopalakrishnan, Lakshmi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.