Post Partum DepressionNCT07563712
Prevalence and Determinant Factors of Postpartum Depression Among Mothers Visiting Postnatal and Immunization Clinics in Selected Public Health Institutions, Mekelle, Tigray
An observational study of Post Partum Depression, run by Mekelle University at 1 site in Ethiopia.
Trial summary
This study looks at depression among mothers after childbirth (also called postpartum depression) in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia. Postpartum depression is a common mental health condition that can affect women after they give birth. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Post Partum Depression
- How many people
- 401 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEthiopia
- Study dates
- 19 Jan 2025to 19 May 2025
- How long will I take part?
- 1 Day
- Phase
- Observational
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 18 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population consists of postpartum mothers who are attending postnatal care and immunization clinics in selected public health institutions in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia. These mothers include those who have recently given birth and are visiting health facilities for routine maternal and child health services during the study period. The population represents women in the postpartum period who are available at the selected facilities and meet the eligibility criteria for the study.
Who may be able to join
- Postnatal women attending postnatal care or vaccination (EPI) services within six weeks of delivery at the selected public health institutions during the study period
Who cannot join
- Women who had a serious illness that prevented participation.
- Mothers who were unable to attend the selected facilities
- Mothers who could not communicate effectively,
- Mothers who had a documented history of severe mental disorders prior to pregnancy (e.g., bipolar disorder or schizophrenia),
- Mothers who were actively using substances during the data collection period
- Mothers who had refused to provide informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Ethiopia1 site
Mekelle general hospital, Yekatit 11 Hospital, Kassech Health Center, Semien Health Center, Adishimdihun Health Center
Mek'ele, Tigray
About this study
This study looks at depression among mothers after childbirth (also called postpartum depression) in Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia. Postpartum depression is a common mental health condition that can affect women after they give birth. It may cause sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, and difficulty caring for the baby. If not recognized and treated, it can affect both the mother and her child's health and well-being.
The purpose of this study is to find out how common postpartum depression is among mothers visiting public health facilities for postnatal care and child immunization services and to identify factors that may increase the risk. Understanding these factors can help health professionals and policymakers improve support services for mothers.
Read more
Mothers who come to selected health facilities for routine postnatal or immunization services will be invited to participate. Participation is voluntary. Those who agree will be asked to complete a questionnaire that includes questions about their mood, social support, economic conditions, and health status. The questionnaire does not include any personal identifiers, so participants' privacy will be protected.
There are no direct medical risks involved in participating in this study. However, some questions may make participants feel emotional when reflecting on their experiences. Participants are free to skip any question or stop at any time. If a mother is found to have symptoms of depression, she will be advised to seek care and may be referred to appropriate health services.
This study may not provide direct benefits to participants, but the findings will help improve understanding of maternal mental health in a post-conflict setting. The results can support the development of better screening, early detection, and support programs for postpartum depression in the community.
Overall, this research aims to contribute to improving the health and well-being of mothers and their children by providing evidence that can guide future healthcare services and policies.
- Conditions
- Post Partum Depression
- Medical subject headings
- Depression, Postpartum
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Postpartum Depression
Presence of postpartum depression among mothers attending postnatal and immunization services, assessed using a standardized screening tool, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS): scores ≥13 were considered to have postpartum depression
Measured: At the time of interview during the postpartum period (within 6 weeks after delivery)
Secondary outcomes (3)
Socio-demographic factors
Age, marital status, education level, occupation, income, residence, religion
Measured: At the time of interview during the postpartum period (within 6 weeks after delivery)
Obstetric and reproductive factors
Parity, pregnancy intention, mode of delivery, history of complications, number of ANC visits, place of delivery
Measured: At the time of interview during the postpartum period (within 6 weeks after delivery)
Psychosocial factors
Social support, stressful life events, partner support, substance misuse. marriage satisfaction, relation with in-laws
Measured: At the time of interview during the postpartum period (within 6 weeks after delivery)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 May 2026
- Study start19 Jan 2025
- Primary completion19 May 2025
- Study completion19 May 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Post Partum DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 401 participants (actual)
- Target duration
- 1 Day
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mekelle University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Akebom Kidanemariam Gebremichael, Mekelle University
- Investigators
- Akebom Kidane Gebremichael, Doctor, Principal investigator, Mekelle University College of Health Sciences
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07563712
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- MU-OBGYN-PPD-2025-01
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 4 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: This is because the dataset contains sensitive health information related to maternal mental health, including postpartum depression status and related psychosocial variables. Although all identifiers will be removed, the nature of the data may still pose a risk of re-identification in a small or defined population. In addition, the current ethical approval and participant consent do not include provisions for public data sharing. Therefore, only aggregated results will be reported in publications, and access to the raw dataset will be restricted to the principal investigator and authorized research team members for the purpose of analysis.