Clinical Research Studies

The purpose of this study is to learn more about postpartum depression, a mental health problem that affects some women after they give birth. Mothers with postpartum depression can feel very sad, lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble sleeping, have low self-esteem, feel guilty a lot, and have trouble thinking clearly. It can also affect how babies grow and develop emotionally and behaviorally in the long run. We are interested in finding biological predictors of postpartum depression in body fluids, including blood, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid - the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. After collecting these specimens during delivery, we will survey different biological molecules, looking for specific predictors of postpartum depression. We are looking for pregnant women scheduled to deliver by Cesarean section, in which accessing these body liquids is medically required. Women participating in our study will also be asked to fill out a short online survey a few times post-delivery. Our long-term goal is to use our results to predict which women are at risk for postpartum depression to be able to predict, prevent, and treat such mothers to promote their and their children's mental health.