Wearable Maternal Stress Tracker for new mothers
Official title: Feasibility, technical performance, and acceptability of a wearable Maternal Stress Tracker (MaST) in monitoring the daily stress experienced during the postpartum period
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11233576 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small wearable device is tested to track daily stress and sleep in the postpartum period to see if it can help identify and manage stress quickly.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $422,125 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MD020169-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11233576 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women in the postpartum period who are willing to wear a smartwatch and participate in short surveys and biomarker collection.
✕Less likely to help
People not in the postpartum period or who cannot use wearable devices may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a wearable device (MaST) to monitor a new mother’s daily stress and sleep after childbirth. Researchers will compare the device’s heart rate and heart-rate variability signals with a hair cortisol biomarker and blood pressure, while also using a social-need survey to see how stress relates to living conditions. Data will be transmitted to a mobile app that triggers quick surveys to capture the mom’s experience in real time. The study will assess if MaST is feasible to use day-to-day, how well it performs technically, and whether participants find it acceptable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, mothers could receive timely insight into their stress levels and sleep, potentially guiding support and care during the critical postpartum period.
How similar studies have gone: Previous wearable stress research suggests feasibility, but this study targets postpartum women and real-world use.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Varma, Deepthi S — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Varma, Deepthi S
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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.