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NCT Number: NCT07359170

Delivery Mode Impact on Postoperative Depression

The goal of this observational retrospective cohort study is to examine the association between mode of delivery and early postpartum depressive symptoms in adult women who delivered at Massachusetts General Hospital. Specifically, the study evaluates whether the urgency of cesarean delivery (elective versus emergency) is associated with differences in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores at 6-8 weeks postpartum, compared with elective cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery. The EPDS is a validated 10-item self-report questionnaire with scores ranging from 0 to 30, where higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.

The primary questions are whether EPDS scores differ among women undergoing emergency cesarean delivery, elective cesarean delivery, and vaginal delivery, and whether perioperative and obstetric factors are associated with postpartum depressive symptoms.

This study involves retrospective analysis of de-identified electronic health record data. Participants will not undergo any study-specific interventions.

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Key information

Conditions

Postoperative Depression

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Observational

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Underwent cesarean delivery (elective or emergency) or vaginal delivery during the study period

Age 18 years or older

Completed at least one Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) assessment at 6-8 weeks postpartum

Have complete perioperative data available

Exclusion criteria

Missing 6-8 week postpartum EPDS scores

Pregnancy with fetal demise, severe obstetric complications, or atypical maternal conditions

History of severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), when identifiable

Incomplete perioperative medical records

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores, a 10-item self-reported screening tool for postpartum depression (range: 0-30, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms)

    Time frame: 6-8 weeks postpartum

Secondary outcomes

  1. Prevalence of postpartum depression

    Time frame: 6-8weeks

    Prevalence of postpartum depression (EPDS ≥ threshold) across delivery groups.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jingping Wang, MD PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

6179369136

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Jingping Wang, MD, Ph.D.

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Impact of Elective Versus Emergency Cesarean Delivery on Early Postpartum Depression: a Retrospective Study

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jan 22, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 9, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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