Understanding perinatal depression in sexual and gender minorities
Official title: Perinatal Depression in Sexual and Gender Minorities
Funded at Northwestern University at Chicago · NIH-10931665 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is all about helping LGBTQ+ parents who might be feeling down during pregnancy or after having a baby, and it aims to create support programs that really fit their needs to improve their mental health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $118,759 |
| NIH project number | 5K23MD018092-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10931665 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are sexual and gender minorities who are pregnant or have recently given birth.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not identify as sexual or gender minorities may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on the mental health challenges faced by sexual and gender minorities during the perinatal period, particularly looking at perinatal depression. The project aims to develop effective interventions tailored to the unique needs of these communities through community-engaged research. Dr. Lapping-Carr will receive training in various methodologies, including clinical trial design and implementation science, to ensure that the interventions are both acceptable and feasible for SGM parents. The goal is to improve mental health outcomes and reduce health disparities for these populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved mental health support and resources for sexual and gender minorities during and after pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: While there is ongoing research in mental health for sexual and gender minorities, this specific focus on perinatal depression is relatively novel and aims to fill existing gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lapping-Carr, Leiszle Rae — Northwestern University at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Lapping-Carr, Leiszle Rae
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.