Helping couples in rural India prevent depression during pregnancy and after birth
Official title: Adaptation and pilot testing of a couples-based intervention to prevent perinatal depression in rural India
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11159564 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps first-time pregnant couples in rural India learn ways to support each other and prevent 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 start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $119,094 |
| NIH project number | 5K99HD114849-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159564 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are first-time pregnant couples living in rural central India.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant, are not in a couple, or do not reside in rural central India would not directly benefit from this specific pilot program.
What this research studies
Nearly one in four women in India experience depression during pregnancy or after birth, which can have lasting effects on both mothers and children. This project aims to adapt and test a program designed for couples to strengthen their relationship and support each other. By focusing on factors like communication and shared decision-making, the program hopes to reduce the risk of depression. We will work with first-time pregnant couples in rural central India to see if this approach is helpful and well-received.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could offer a new way for couples to work together to prevent depression, leading to healthier outcomes for mothers and their babies.
How similar studies have gone: Couples-based interventions have shown success in preventing perinatal depression in high-income settings, but this approach is novel for low-income settings and for targeting couples specifically.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gopalakrishnan, Lakshmi — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Gopalakrishnan, Lakshmi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Couples-based approach to prevent perinatal depression in rural India
A new, family-focused program helps new mothers and their husbands address perinatal depression in rural India using trained lay counselors.
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Couples-based approach to prevent perinatal depression in rural India
A pilot program in rural India tests a couples-based, lay-counselor–delivered approach to prevent perinatal depression for new mothers and their partners.
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Machine learning to tailor and prevent perinatal depression for pregnant and new mothers
A machine learning project at Carnegie Mellon aims to find personalized, scalable ways to prevent perinatal depression in pregnant people and new mothers.
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Online sleep therapy to prevent depression during and after pregnancy
This project will see whether an online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia can help prevent depression during pregnancy and in the first year after childbirth for pregnant people with insomnia.
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Understanding how gut and body signals interact to influence perinatal depression
A study of pregnant people exploring how the gut microbiome and body signals contribute to depression during and after pregnancy.
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Couples program to prevent depression during pregnancy and after birth 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.
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.