Using mindfulness and optimism to improve maternal health during pregnancy
Official title: Mindfulness, Optimism and Resilience for Perinatal Health and Equity (MORPHE) Trial
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-10928187 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using a mindfulness app called Expectful can help improve the mental health of pregnant people, especially those who have gone through tough birth experiences, by making them feel more positive and less anxious.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $170,521 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM139767-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10928187 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant individuals with low dispositional optimism who have experienced traumatic birth events.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not pregnant or those who do not have low dispositional optimism may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how mindfulness and optimism can help improve the mental health of pregnant individuals, particularly those who have experienced traumatic births. It involves a randomized clinical trial where participants will use a mindfulness app called Expectful, which is designed to enhance resilience and reduce anxiety and PTSD symptoms. The study aims to assess how effective this app is compared to routine care in supporting mental well-being during pregnancy, especially for those from underserved populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved mental health outcomes for pregnant individuals, reducing the risk of postpartum PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that mindfulness interventions can be effective in improving mental health outcomes in various populations, suggesting potential success in this novel application for perinatal health.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ayala, Nina Karlsen — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ayala, Nina Karlsen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Mindfulness and optimism program for pregnant people
This offers a mindfulness phone app for pregnant people with low optimism to help reduce traumatic birth experiences and postpartum stress.
-
Exploring how stress resilience and mindfulness can help manage rheumatoid arthritis
This study is looking at how stress affects people with rheumatoid arthritis and whether practicing mindfulness can help ease their pain and improve their overall well-being.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
-
Understanding how neurons resist and recover from toxic chemicals
Researchers are studying how brain cells fight back against harmful chemicals to help people survive exposure.
-
Mindfulness and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults
This grant tests non-drug ways like mindfulness and self-hypnosis to help people over 60 manage chronic pain.
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.