NCT07279311

Virtual Reality-enhanced Psychotherapy for Perinatal Depression

Virtual Reality-enhanced Psychotherapy as a Mental Health Intervention During Antepartum Hospitalization: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Enrolling By Invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 44 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Stanford University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Perinatal depression is a growing public health crisis in the United States, affecting one in five individuals during pregnancy or postpartum. Mental health conditions contribute to 23% of maternal deaths, underscoring the urgent need for innovative interventions. Obstetric patients who experience complications requiring prolonged hospitalization are particularly vulnerable to mental health deterioration. Virtual reality (VR) has shown promise for expanding access, reducing barriers, and enhancing first-line depression treatment when paired with evidence-based psychotherapies such as behavioral activation (BA). However, traditional BA is not feasible for inpatients, as their hospitalization prevents participation in conventional in-person, mood-boosting activities; VR-enhanced BA (VR-BA) presents a novel opportunity to address this gap. The goal of the study is to compare a 3-week VR-BA protocol to standard therapy (social work consultation) for hospitalized pregnant individuals with depressive symptoms. The objectives are to assess 1) whether VR-BA is acceptable, tolerable, and feasible in this population and 2) whether it leads to greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared to standard therapy.

Conditions

• Depression During Pregnancy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Virtual reality behavioral activation	The available VR-BA sessions include immersive 360° videos using headsets. The content encompasses a wide range of categories, including but not limited to animals; sports, dance, or arts; adrenaline; travel; and hiking or the outdoors. The patient will select activities which align most with their values and interests, with guidance during the telehealth sessions. The videos range from 1 minute to 10 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-31
• Primary completion: 2027-09-01
• Completion: 2028-01-01
• First posted: 2025-12-12
• Last updated: 2026-04-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States