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Perinatal DepressionDoula LinkNCT07217561

Testing "Doula Link", a Multi-Component Intervention to Improve Perinatal Mental Health

A study testing Doula Link in people with Perinatal Depression and Perinatal Anxiety, run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Doulas are trained individuals who offer informational, emotional, and physical support to their pregnant, birthing, and postpartum clients. The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new intervention (called "Doula Link") is feasible to implement and acceptable to both doulas and their clients. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Perinatal Depression, Perinatal Anxiety
What is being tested?
Doula Link
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
90 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
21 Oct 2025to Jun 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • For doulas: currently providing prenatal or postpartum support to at least one client; plant to provide prenatal or postpartum support to at least three clients in the next six months; work in Massachusetts; did not participate in development of the intervention; available to participate in in-person training; English language fluency
  • For clients: Pregnant or no more than 12 weeks postpartum at enrollment; served by one of the 30 study doulas; live in, and plan to give birth in Massachusetts; fluency in either English or Spanish

Who cannot join

  • Not meeting inclusion criteria

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02215

    Elysia Larson, 6173655776, elarson@bidmc.harvard.edu

    Elysia Larson, ScD, MPH

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Doula Link for Perinatal Mental Health - Trial

Doulas are trained individuals who offer informational, emotional, and physical support to their pregnant, birthing, and postpartum clients. The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new intervention (called "Doula Link") is feasible to implement and acceptable to both doulas and their clients. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Is Doula Link feasible to implement and acceptable to doulas and their clients?
  • What are the preliminary differences in depression and anxiety between individuals working with doulas who received Doula Link compared to those who did not receive Doula Link?
Read more

Researchers will compare "Doula Link" to usual doula practice to see if Doula Link is feasible and has potential to improve mental health outcomes in postpartum individuals.

Doulas will be randomly assigned to either receive "Doula Link" or continue with their practice as usual.

Participating doulas assigned to Doula Link will receive training mental health and implementing an intervention called "Our Babies and Us"; receive access to a toolkit; receive access to perinatal psychiatrists and referral specialists for consultations; receive access to a support group

All participating doulas will be invited to complete surveys about their experience with Doula Link (if assigned to that group) and their experience providing care for their clients.

All participating clients (pregnant and postpartum individuals) will be invited to complete surveys about their experiences with their doulas, their own mental health, and their experiences with the health system.

Read the detailed description

Many people experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns during the pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum periods. Despite interventions that work to prevent and treat, most perinatal depression and anxiety is unprevented and untreated. Doulas are trained professionals who offer emotional, educational, and physical support during this period. Their support has been shown to improve health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

This study will pilot test a multi-component intervention, called Doula Link for Perinatal Mental Health (Doula Link), that gives doulas the tools to directly support mental health. Through Doula Link, doulas will receive:

  1. a doula-specific mental health toolkit adapted from MCPAP for Moms, a statewide psychiatry access program;
  2. training to implement an evidence-based, stress-reduction program called Our Babies and Us;
  3. access to expert consultations and client referrals with perinatal psychiatric specialists through MCPAP for Moms.
  4. training on perinatal mental health
  5. access to doula support groups

By bringing together clinicians, doulas, and families, the goal of Doula Link is to support doulas to support their clients' mental health. Investigators hypothesize that building a program with doulas to provide direct support and link health system and community resources is an attainable intervention to expand access to mental health support.

Being tested
Doula Link
Keywords
Doulas, Perinatal mental health, Depression
Medical subject headings
Depression

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Doula LinkBehavioural

    1. a doula-specific mental health toolkit; 2) training to implement an evidence-based, stress-reduction program called Our Babies and Us; 3) training for, and access to expert consultations with perinatal psychiatric specialists through MCPAP for Moms; 4) training on perinatal mental health; 5) access to doula support groups
Study groups in NCT07217561
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Doula LinkExperimentalDoulas randomized to this arm will receive: 1) a doula-specific mental health toolkit; 2) training to implement an evidence-based, stress-reduction program called Our Babies and Us; 3) training for, and access to expert consultations with perinatal psychiatric specialists through MCPAP for Moms; 4) training on perinatal mental health; 5) access to doula support groups
Receives: Behavioral: Doula Link
Doula Support as UsualNo interventionDoulas randomized to this arm will continue to provide care as usual

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Acceptability of Intervention Measure

    Perception among postpartum individuals in the Doula Link arm that Doula Link is agreeable and perception among postpartum individuals in the Doula Link arm that Doula Link and its individual components is agreeable. The "Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) will be used. This is a four-question scale scored on a range from 1-5 with higher values indicating better acceptability.

    Measured: 32-weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum postpartum for clients. Directly following, 6-months after, and 12-months after training for doulas.

  2. Feasibility of Intervention

    How well Doula Link and its individual components can be successfully delivered to doulas.

    The "Feasibility of Intervention Measure" (FIM) will be used. This is a four-question scale scored on a range from 1-5 with higher values indicating better feasibility.

    Measured: Directly following, 6-months after, and 12-months after doula training

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Appropriateness of Intervention

    The perceived fit and relevance of Doula Link and its individual components among doulas and their clients in the Doula Link arm.

    The "Appropriateness of Intervention Measure" (IAM) will be used. This is a four-question scale scored on a range from 1-5 with higher values indicating better appropriateness.

    Measured: 32-weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum for clients. Directly following, 6-months after, and 12-months after training for doulas.

  2. Fidelity of implementation of Our Babies and Us

    The degree to which the Our Babies and Us component of Doula Link is implemented by the doulas to each client. This will be measured using the Our Babies and Us fidelity scale, which measures each topic across three dimensions. Possible scores range from 0 to 6 with higher scores indicating higher fidelity.

    Measured: Every two weeks after client enrollment for a total of six time points.

  3. Reach of Our Babies and Us component

    The proportion of clients who receive part or all of the Our Babies and Us component of the intervention.

    Measured: At 6 weeks postpartum

  4. Symptoms of depression

    Client scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Possible range of scores is 0 to 30 with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

    Measured: 32-weeks gestation, 6-weeks postpartum, and 16-weeks postpartum

  5. Symptoms of anxiety

    Symptoms of anxiety as measured by the generalized anxiety scale (GAD-7). The possible range of scores is 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

    Measured: 32-weeks gestation and 6- and 16-weeks postpartum

  6. Feasibility of Our Babies and Us

    How well doulas can implement the our Babies and Us component to their clients. The "Feasibility of Intervention Measure" (FIM) will be used. This is a four-question scale scored on a range from 1-5 with higher values indicating better feasibility.

    Measured: Directly following, 6-months after, and 12-months after doula training

  7. Reach of MCPAP for Moms component

    The proportion of doulas who call to access the MCPAP for Moms component of the intervention.

    Measured: At the completion of the doula intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted16 Oct 2025
  2. Study start21 Oct 2025
  3. Primary completionJun 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionJun 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
90 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07217561
Sponsor's protocol ID
BIDMC2023P000426
Other IDs
K01MH133966
Acronym
Doula Link
Status last verified
Oct 2025
First submitted
3 Oct 2025
Last updated
22 Oct 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Per institutional policy, IPD cannot be shared with other researchers without a formal data use agreement.

Publications

  • Weiner BJ, Lewis CC, Stanick C, Powell BJ, Dorsey CN, Clary AS, Boynton MH, Halko H. Psychometric assessment of three newly developed implementation outcome measures. Implement Sci. 2017 Aug 29;12(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s13012-017-0635-3.

    PubMed 28851459
  • Proctor E, Silmere H, Raghavan R, Hovmand P, Aarons G, Bunger A, Griffey R, Hensley M. Outcomes for implementation research: conceptual distinctions, measurement challenges, and research agenda. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2011 Mar;38(2):65-76. doi: 10.1007/s10488-010-0319-7.

    PubMed 20957426
  • Larson E. Cornely RM, Gebel C, Falade E, Ezekwesili C, Peprah-Wilson S, Dodge LE, Julce C, Byatt N. A qualitative study of doulas providing emotional support during the perinatal period: an unharnessed opportunity in the United States. SSM-Health Systems 2025;4. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmhs.2025.100077

  • Bohren MA, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jul 6;7(7):CD003766. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6.

    PubMed 28681500
  • Byatt N, Biebel K, Moore Simas TA, Sarvet B, Ravech M, Allison J, Straus J. Improving perinatal depression care: the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project for Moms. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2016 May-Jun;40:12-7. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2016.03.002. Epub 2016 Mar 21.

    PubMed 27079616
  • Tandon SD, Ward EA, Hamil JL, Jimenez C, Carter M. Perinatal depression prevention through home visitation: a cluster randomized trial of mothers and babies 1-on-1. J Behav Med. 2018 Oct;41(5):641-652. doi: 10.1007/s10865-018-9934-7. Epub 2018 May 15.

    PubMed 29766470
  • Singla DR, Lawson A, Kohrt BA, Jung JW, Meng Z, Ratjen C, Zahedi N, Dennis CL, Patel V. Implementation and Effectiveness of Nonspecialist-Delivered Interventions for Perinatal Mental Health in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021 May 1;78(5):498-509. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.4556.

    PubMed 33533904
  • Dennis CL, Chung-Lee L. Postpartum depression help-seeking barriers and maternal treatment preferences: a qualitative systematic review. Birth. 2006 Dec;33(4):323-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1523-536X.2006.00130.x.

    PubMed 17150072
  • Byatt N, Xiao RS, Dinh KH, Waring ME. Mental health care use in relation to depressive symptoms among pregnant women in the USA. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2016 Feb;19(1):187-91. doi: 10.1007/s00737-015-0524-1. Epub 2015 Apr 7.

    PubMed 25846018
  • O'Connor E, Senger CA, Henninger ML, Coppola E, Gaynes BN. Interventions to Prevent Perinatal Depression: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA. 2019 Feb 12;321(6):588-601. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.20865.

    PubMed 30747970
  • Dennis CL, Falah-Hassani K, Shiri R. Prevalence of antenatal and postnatal anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry. 2017 May;210(5):315-323. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.187179. Epub 2017 Mar 16.

    PubMed 28302701
  • Bennett HA, Einarson A, Taddio A, Koren G, Einarson TR. Prevalence of depression during pregnancy: systematic review. Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Apr;103(4):698-709. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000116689.75396.5f.

    PubMed 15051562

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Doula Link in people with Perinatal Depression and Perinatal Anxiety, run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Elysia Larson (617-667-4051, elarson@bidmc.harvard.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Acceptability of Intervention Measure (time frame: 32-weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum postpartum for clients. Directly following, 6-months after, and 12-months after training for doulas.). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07217561, which also lists 12 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Oct 2025.

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