An observational study in Postpartum Depression (PPD), sponsored by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Completed at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-17.
Sponsored by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · Observational
This pilot study will recruit 120 perinatal pregnant women and follow them up for 6 months. Both momentary and retrospective assessments of emotional well-being and psychosocial factors will be conducted on a mobile application. We aim to understand the symptom trajectories and provide evidence for effective individualized interventions.
The proposed study addresses the knowledge gaps regarding the validity of mobile-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for dynamic patterns of mood symptoms and associated factors in women during pregnancy through postnatal period. The investigators hypothesize that the validity of mobile-based EMA is appropriate in women during pregnancy through postnatal period and that participants will exhibit at least two trajectories of depressive symptoms with high and low severity over a six-month period from the third trimester to three months postpartum. This prospective study using single group design will recruit 120 pregnant women for a six-month period. Clinical and self-rating assessments of mood symptoms and lifestyle information will be conducted on a mobile application. There will be a total of six periods EMA assessments and seven retrospective assessments. Six EMA questions for mood, sleep, exercise, physical well-being, and environmental context will be administered three times daily for five consecutive days, and the Edinburgh Postnatal depression Scale will be assessed at baseline and each month during the six-month period. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to examine the feasibility and validity of mobile-based EMA. Hierarchical cluster analysis and multiple regression model will be used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms, and associated factors.
529 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression, Postpartum; 125 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 120 is below the median of 200 across 89 observational studies indexed under Depression, Postpartum.
Browse Depression, Postpartum studies →The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the lead sponsor of 659 studies on the registry; 250 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Perinatal women
Exclusion Criteria:
Diagnostic Test: Ecological momentary assessment and retrospective assessment
The intervention includes daily EMA components, and monthly retrospective assessments.
Ecological Momentary Questions (Mood)
Three momentary questions will be administered to assess participants' mood-two yes/no Whooley questions for depression, one question about anxiety, which questions will be mapped onto a five-point pictorial scale, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) points. The higher score means worse outcome.
Time frame: Three momentary assessments per day for five days in each month for 6 months, displayed randomly within each of the following intervals: 0900-1300, 1300-1800 and 1800-0000.
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Measures postnatal depression. Each item scores 0-3, and the total score ranges from 0 (min) to 30 (max). Higher score means worse depressive symptoms.
Time frame: At the baseline and the end of each of the 6 months in the period.
Ecological Momentary Questions (Lifestyle and Physical Wellbeing)
Three momentary questions will be administered to assess participants' sleep, exercise and physical pain/fatigue; they will be either mapped onto a five-point pictorial scale, ranging from 1 (min) to 5 (max) points (sleep) or presented using yes/no questions (exercise and physical pain/fatigue). For sleep, the higher score means better outcome.
Time frame: Three momentary assessments per day for five days in each month for 6 months, displayed randomly within each of the following intervals: 0900-1300, 1300-1800 and 1800-0000.
Ecological Momentary Questions (Contextual)
Two contextual questions will be administered to complement the momentary mood questions. They will assess participants' location and the activity in which they are engaged at the time they answer the six momentary questions.
Time frame: Three momentary assessments per day for five days in each month for 6 months, displayed randomly within each of the following intervals: 0900-1300, 1300-1800 and 1800-0000.
Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21)
Measures stress symptoms. Each item scores 0-3, the total score for stress ranges from 0 (min) to 21 (max). Higher score means worse symptoms of stress.
Time frame: At the baseline and the end of each of the 6 months in the period
Post-study acceptance survey
A questionniare at the end of the six-month study period to assess the acceptability of the app to participants in the context of their prenatal and postnatal care and to collect feedback about their experience with the app.
Time frame: The survey will be conducted via online when the participants complete 6-month study.
Plan to share: Undecided — May need to seek approval of the funding body.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University