Mindfulness app for improving optimism and health in pregnant women

Mindfulness, Optimism, and Resilience for Perinatal Health and Equity Study

NA · Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island · NCT05840900

This study tests whether a mindfulness app can help first-time pregnant women with low optimism feel better and improve their health during and after pregnancy.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexFemale
SponsorWomen and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (other)
Locations2 sites (Providence, Rhode Island and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05840900 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of a mindfulness phone application called Expectful, aimed at first-time mothers with low dispositional optimism during early pregnancy. The study will randomly assign participants to either use the app for 8 weeks or receive standard pregnancy care. It aims to assess the app's impact on dispositional optimism, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and postpartum post-traumatic stress symptoms. The trial will involve 100 women recruited from Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are first-time mothers who are less than 20 weeks pregnant, nulliparous, English-speaking, and have low dispositional optimism.

Not a fit: Patients who are already engaged in regular mind-body practices or have pre-existing hypertensive or diabetic conditions may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enhance mental health and reduce adverse outcomes for pregnant women with low optimism.

How similar studies have performed: While mindfulness interventions have shown promise in other populations, this specific approach tailored for perinatal health is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Able to provide informed consent
* English speaking
* Nulliparous (no prior delivery at or greater than 20w0d gestation)
* Pregnant with singleton fetus
* \<20w0d gestation
* Low dispositional optimism (score \</= 14 on the Revised Life Orientation Test)
* Owns a smart phone

Exclusion Criteria:

* Plan to deliver at another institution
* Ongoing (≥1/week) mind-body practice including mindfulness training, meditation or yoga
* Pre-gestational hypertensive disorder
* Pre-gestational diabetes mellitus

Where this trial is running

Providence, Rhode Island and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, dispositional optimism, mindfulness, adverse perinatal outcomes

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.