M-O-M-S on the Bayou: Implementation of an Intervention for Mental Health in Pregnancy
Tulane University
Summary
Disasters have negative effects in the short term (physical trauma, adverse environmental exposures, and unstable housing) and the long term (relocation, changes in family functioning, and negative economic effects), which interact with social determinants to worsen health among the most vulnerable women, infants, and communities. Trauma and severe stress are directly linked to pregnancy complications, and raise blood pressure during pregnancy, alter stress hormones, and increase vulnerability to infection, all of which predispose to reduced fetal growth and preterm birth. Disasters also worsen mental health, and depression during pregnancy and postpartum, for instance, is associated with worse physical health during pregnancy, maternal impairment, poorer quality parenting, negative child behavior, and poorer infant cognitive development.The goal of this intervention is to improve mental health in pregnant women living in a disaster-affected region. The main questions this intervention aims to answer are: * Assess the implementation outcomes (acceptability, adaptation, adoption, feasibility, fidelity, and sustainability) of a pilot intervention in a disaster recovery environment. * Assess the effectiveness of the M-O-M-S pilot intervention in a disaster recovery environment. The study will recruit pregnant women in areas that have experienced a natural disaster. Women will be recruited in early pregnancy and attend a series of classes on the cognitive and relationship changes of pregnancy and motherhood, and mental preparation for labor, led by a "mentor," a mother who has experienced pregnancy, labor, and motherhood.
Description
The M-O-M-S™ (Mentors Offering Maternal Support) intervention is based in a theoretical framework addressing the major transitions that occur with pregnancy and close relationship processes. Weis et al. found that community esteem-building support, focused in first and second trimester, decreased anxiety associated with pregnancy and maternal adaptation. The M-O-M-S™ intervention was specifically designed to address pregnancy-specific anxiety (inclusive of depressive symptoms), concerns related to family/partner relationships, and provide esteem-building peer support, with each session directl…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant * Below 20 weeks' gestation * Enrolled in prenatal care Exclusion Criteria: * Not pregnant * Under age 18 * Does not speak English or Spanish * Does not plan to carry to term * Does not plan to remain in the study area through pregnancy * Fetal defects likely to lead to death or extensive hospitalization postpartum
Interventions
- BehavioralM-O-M-S on the Bayou
Peer and mentor support and meetings across pregnancy
Location
- Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana