An interventional study of Midwife-Led Digital Follow-Up Program in Postpartum Depression, Breastfeeding and Postpartum Period, sponsored by Inonu University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-14.
Sponsored by Inonu University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a midwife-led digital follow-up program on postpartum depression, perceived social support, and breastfeeding self-efficacy in women who will undergo cesarean section.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group that will receive structured face-to-face education followed by a 4-week digital follow-up program, or a control group that will receive routine postpartum care.
Data will be collected at baseline (postpartum day 1), at 1 week, and at 4 weeks postpartum using validated measurement tools.
The study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of continuous, midwife-led digital support in improving maternal psychological well-being and breastfeeding outcomes in the early postpartum period.
This study will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured midwife-led digital follow-up program on postpartum depression, perceived social support, and breastfeeding self-efficacy in women who will undergo cesarean section.
The postpartum period is a critical phase for maternal adaptation, during which women may experience psychological challenges such as depression, as well as difficulties related to breastfeeding and perceived social support. Women who deliver by cesarean section may be particularly vulnerable due to physical recovery, delayed maternal-infant interaction, and increased dependency on external support.
Eligible participants will be recruited from a university hospital and will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Randomization will be performed using a computer-generated sequence to ensure allocation concealment.
Participants in the intervention group will receive a structured face-to-face education session provided by a midwife on the first postpartum day. This session will include information on breastfeeding techniques, management of common breastfeeding problems, emotional adaptation to motherhood, and the importance of social support.
Following the initial education, participants in the intervention group will be enrolled in a 4-week digital follow-up program. This program will include weekly educational messages, individualized counseling, and continuous support delivered via mobile communication platforms. Participants will be able to ask questions and receive guidance from the midwife throughout the follow-up period.
Participants in the control group will receive routine postpartum care without any additional structured education or digital follow-up support.
The primary outcomes of the study will include postpartum depression, perceived social support, and breastfeeding self-efficacy. These outcomes will be measured using validated instruments, including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES).
Data will be collected at three time points: baseline (postpartum day 1), at 1 week postpartum, and at 4 weeks postpartum.
This study will aim to contribute to evidence-based postpartum care by providing insights into the effectiveness of accessible, scalable, and midwife-led digital interventions in improving maternal psychological well-being and breastfeeding-related outcomes.
569 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression, Postpartum; 134 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 104 is close to the median of 104 across 454 interventional studies indexed under Depression, Postpartum.
Browse Depression, Postpartum studies →Inonu University is the lead sponsor of 394 studies on the registry; 95 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive a midwife-led face-to-face education session and a 4-week digital follow-up program.
Behavioral: Midwife-Led Digital Follow-Up Program
Participants will receive routine postpartum care without additional structured support.
Participants will receive a structured face-to-face education session on the first postpartum day followed by a 4-week digital follow-up program including weekly educational messages, individualized counseling, and continuous support via mobile communication platforms.
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression will be measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), a 10-item self-report scale with total scores ranging from 0 to 30. Higher scores will indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline (first postpartum day), 1 week postpartum, and 4 weeks postpartum
Perceived Social Support
Perceived social support will be measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), a 12-item scale with total scores ranging from 12 to 84. Higher scores will indicate greater perceived social support.
Time frame: Baseline (first postpartum day), 1 week postpartum, and 4 weeks postpartum
Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy
Breastfeeding self-efficacy will be measured using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale (BSES), a 33-item scale with total scores ranging from 33 to 165. Higher scores will indicate higher breastfeeding self-efficacy.
Time frame: Baseline, 1 week, and 4 weeks postpartum
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.