Transforming Maternal Mental Health Care Using Innovative Digital Solutions for the Intermountain West
University of Utah
Summary
The overall objective of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of a RCT comparing Lōvu-augmented with usual prenatal care at UU. This would be a critical next step toward our long-term goal to identify technology-based interventions to improve maternal mental health in the Intermountain West. Our central hypothesis is that Lōvu will be both feasible and have high patient and clinician satisfaction, and that Lōvu-generated data will be a promising substrate for AI-based mental health risk stratification.
Description
Collectively, perinatal mental health disorders impact 20% of pregnancies in the U.S. and are the leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality, contributing to 23% of deaths. In the U.S., 50-75% of perinatal depression (PND) is undiagnosed and PND is untreated in nearly 85%. This is a result, in part, of the systematic underfunding of investigations into maternal mental health. The critical relevance of this reality for "Women Across the Lifespan" could not be more pressing than in Utah and the Intermountain West, where expanding maternity care deserts limit access to mental health care, and s…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–45 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant people receiving care at University of Utah Clinics * Less than 14 weeks gestation at enrollment Exclusion Criteria: * Patients enrolled in other studies utilizing remote monitoring
Interventions
- BehavioralLōvu platform
Standard prenatal care + Lōvu platform. Participant receives a Bluetooth-enabled scale, BP cuff, and handheld fetal Doppler. Orientation to Lōvu app and device use. Lōvu-generated data (e.g., weight, BP, HR) will be visible to the Lovu team and sent to the UU clinical team weekly Participant-reported outcomes (satisfaction, usability) collected via System Usability Scale (SUS)
- BehavioralStandard Care Arm
Standard prenatal care per UU clinical protocols Mental health screening via PHQ-9, GAD-7, EPDS, and NIDA Quick Screen at standard intervals (these are all validated surveys) Data collected from EHR.
Location
- University of Utah HospitalSalt Lake City, Utah