Postpartum PTSD: effects on mothers and early infant development
Defining postpartum PTSD and its implications for maternal wellness and child development
This project follows pregnant people from late pregnancy through the first year after birth to learn how childbirth-related PTSD affects moms and their babies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11228820 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will enroll you in the third trimester (around week 32), check in in the hours after delivery, and follow you at Day 1, Day 45, and months 3, 6, and 12 postpartum while your infant is seen at 6 and 12 months. You will complete symptom questionnaires and bonding and developmental checks across these visits to track mental health and parent–infant interaction over time. The study aims to find who is at risk for childbirth-related PTSD, how symptoms change across the first postpartum year, and whether maternal symptoms relate to early infant development. Findings are intended to point toward earlier detection and supports for mothers and babies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people in their third trimester (around week 32) who can attend follow-up visits through the first postpartum year are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, are beyond the first postpartum year, or cannot attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better recognition of postpartum PTSD and earlier supports to protect maternal wellness and infant development.
How similar studies have performed: Related research has documented postpartum depression, but longitudinal studies specifically focused on childbirth-related PTSD and its effects on infants are rare, so this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dekel, Sharon — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Dekel, Sharon
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.