An interventional study of psychological assessment in Post Partum Women and Newborn Health, sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois. Recruiting at 2 sites in France. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-22.
Sponsored by Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
Maternal mental health in the postpartum period is a major public health issue in France. The 2021 National Perinatal Survey highlights high prevalence rates of mental health disorders among mothers, with 27.6% experiencing anxiety disorders, 16.7% experiencing depressive disorders and 5.4% having suicidal thoughts. Between 2016 and 2018, suicide was also the leading cause of maternal mortality in the year following childbirth, underscoring the severity and frequency of these disorders. In response, international guidelines, notably those of the World health Organisation (WHO), as well as national policies such as the 'First 1,000 Days' strategy, emphasise the importance of early, enhanced and individualised postnatal support. In France, this postpartum care tends to be structured around the Early Postnatal Interview and the recommended use of validated screening tools such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).
However, the quality of postpartum care depends not only on screening and clinical follow-up, but also on organisational and environmental factors. Among these, the arrangements for maternity ward visits constitute a potential determinant of patients' experiences, likely to influence both their mental state, their rest, the establishment of breastfeeding and, indirectly, the health of the newborn. The exceptional measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, notably the restriction of visits, have shown generally favourable effects, with improved satisfaction among patients and healthcare staff, better conditions for rest, facilitation of breastfeeding and a perceived improvement in working conditions.
However, these data were collected in an exceptional health context, which may introduce biases linked to the social, emotional and organisational constraints specific to this period. Their extrapolation to routine practice therefore remains uncertain. Furthermore, in the absence of specific national guidelines governing maternity ward visits, the current regulatory framework remains unclear and practices vary between institutions, often relying on local decisions that have not been scientifically evaluated.
Against this backdrop, the VISIMAT study aims to characterise maternity ward visiting arrangements outside of any exceptional circumstances and to assess their impact on the health of mothers and newborns, as well as on healthcare workers' working conditions. Its aim is to provide a scientific basis to inform the development of standardised recommendations and prevention messages.
Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois is the lead sponsor of 32 studies on the registry; 8 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The only intervention prompted by the research involves referring patients with an EPDS score of ≥10 and/or a positive response to item 10 of the scale ('has already thought about harming themselves') to a psychologist.
Other: psychological assessment
The only intervention resulting from the research consists of referring patients with an EPDS score ≥ 10 and/or a positive response to item 10 of this scale ('has already thought about harming themselves') to a psychologist.
Effect of visitor restriction levels implemented in maternity wards on mothers' postnatal depressive symptoms
The incidence of depressive symptoms in the mother using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Time frame: At discharge from hospitalization in the maternity ward, on average 48 hours
Effect of visitor restriction levels implemented in maternity wards on early indicators of newborn health.
Neonatal weight change between birth and discharge from the maternity ward, reflecting the newborn's early health status.
Time frame: Until discharge from hospitalization in the maternity ward, on average 48 hours.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois