Research Studies
Current Studies
Interested in participating?
Contact UsThe RPRP is often recruiting for a number of reproductive and other psychiatry related studies. This page will be regularly updated with information on our current studies.
We are currently working on the following studies:
- The Prospective Study (Closed for enrollment – in data analysis) – an observational study with the purpose of helping to identify genetic, epigenetic, biological, and environmental risk factors of postpartum depression.
- The Retrospective Study (Pending IRB Approval) – a study focusing on the children of previous Prospective study participants. This study seeks to examine whether biomarkers/epigenetics analyzed in mothers who previously participated in the Prospective study are inherited by their children, and whether there may be changes to the child’s epigenetics relating to exposure to depression and/or anti-depressants during the pregnancy.
- The Genesight® Study (Actively Recruiting – VA and MD only) – a study on the metabolism of Zoloft® (sertraline) in pregnant and non-pregnant women with the purpose of understanding Sertraline metabolism rates after pregnancy.
- PREVAIL (Actively Recruiting) – a study investigating and validating a biomarker blood test that may be predictive of postpartum depression. This study will evaluate false positive and false negative results of the blood test and examine clinical factors (like medication use, stressful life events, etc.) that may be associated with those rates. This is an investigational test, and you will not receive the results of this test.
- HPA -Axis Dysregulation and Mechanisms Underlying Risk for Postpartum Depression – a study housed within the PREVAIL study that seeks to investigate differences in stress experiences by collecting information about mood, stress, and hormone changes throughout pregnancy and the postpartum time. Previous work has found that differences in reproductive hormone levels may be linked to differential development of postpartum depression.
- The Neonates Study – a study on the infants of individuals participating in the PREVAIL study; this study hopes to determine how exposure to depression and/or anti-depressants during pregnancy affects the development of children after birth.
- Neuroimaging and Postpartum Depression – a study investigating genetic, biological, and environmental factors that may contribute to postpartum depression with the aim to better understand postpartum depression by combining information about genetic markers (biomarkers) predictive of postpartum depression with neuroimaging (MRI) data.
- BLOOM (Pending IRB approval) – a study investigating biologic and epigenetic changes associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This study also seeks to investigate the effects of anti-depressants towards managing PMS/PMDD symptoms.
Click the tabs below to learn more about these studies and about who may be eligible to participate in them.
Interested in participating?
Contact UsA Prospective Research Study of Pregnant and Postpartum Women with Mood Disorders
We are conducting an observational research study exploring women’s feelings during and after pregnancy. The purpose of the study is to help identify clinical, genetic, epigenetic, hormonal, and immunological risk factors of postpartum depression.
Who should join our study?
The RPRP is seeking pregnant women who:
- are 18 or older
- are in any trimester of their pregnancy
- have a history of a mood disorder (Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar I, or Bipolar II, Bipolar Not Otherwise Specified)
What will the study involve?
The number of research study visits will depend on which trimester of pregnancy you’re in when you enter the research study. Completion of the full research study will consist of 7 visits, 3 during pregnancy and 4 postpartum, lasting from 11 weeks pregnant to 6 months postpartum. Additionally, there will be 1 phone visit during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. The first visit will last 3 to 4 hours with each visit after that lasting up to 1 hour.
Study procedures include collection of blood and saliva samples, one at-home blood spot collection, completion of various mood, stress, and sleep surveys, and optional collection of vaginal and fecal samples.
All study-related procedures will be provided free of charge, and compensation will be provided for completion of study procedures.
Interested in participating?
This study is now closed to enrollment and is in data analysis.
UVA IRB # HSR220012
Epigenetic Biomarkers in Children of Previous Participants in the Prospective Study
We are preparing to conduct a new research study examining whether biomarkers/epigenetics analyzed in mothers who participated in the Prospective study are inherited by their children. This study will also explore how exposure to depression and/or antidepressants during pregnancy and fetal development may impact how much or little certain genes are used (epigenetics) in these participants’ child.
Who should join this study?
This study will only be open to children of individuals who participated in “A Prospective Study of Pregnant Women with and without Mood Disorders” at either Johns Hopkins University or at the University of Virginia.
Specifically, we are seeking the children who previous participants were pregnant with during the time they were participating in this study.
More details regarding this study will be added once the study has completed the IRB process.
Changes in sertraline metabolism during pregnancy and postpartum: informing the clinical validity of the Genesight® algorithm
In conjunction with Myriad Genetics, we are conducting a mental health study on the metabolism of the antidepressant Zoloft® (sertraline). The purpose of this study is to determine at which time point postpartum exposure to sertraline is no longer different than that of an individual who is not pregnant.
Who should join our study?
The RPRP is seeking women who:
- are 18- 44 years old
- are located in either Virginia or Maryland
- are talking Zoloft® (sertraline)
- are not pregnant OR are pregnant and in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (28-40 weeks pregnant)
What will the study involve?
The study will last up to 5 months and will consist of 1 screening visit and up to 5 follow-up visits. The screening visit will last up to 1 hour, while follow-up visits will typically last around 45 minutes. This study is done completely virtually.
The study involves collection of a medical history, an at-home cheek swab, 2-5 at-home blood collections, and completion of questionnaires about you and your medication usage.
If eligible, you’ll be compensated for your time and effort for each blood collection and medication usage report
Interested in participating?
Click here to fill out an inquiry form.
For more information or questions about the study, contact the study coordinator listed below.
Emmalee Johnson, Clinical Research Coordinator
Email: enj8tnz@uvahealth.org
Tel: 434-443-0521
UVA IRB # HSR230396
Clinical Validation of a Predictive Test for Postpartum Depression
PREVAIL – Predictive Research for Early Validation and Assessment of Indicators of Low Mood (PPD)
We are conducting a research study to investigate a biomarker blood test that may be predictive of postpartum depression.
The purpose of this research study is to develop a blood test that may be predictive of postpartum depression. This blood test is investigational and not yet FDA approved. You will not receive the results of this blood test.
Previous work has found that certain genetic markers (biomarkers) contained in blood are able to predict if a pregnant woman is at high risk or low risk of developing postpartum depression with about 80% accuracy. This research study will evaluate false positive and false negative rates of the blood test and examine clinical factors (like medication use, stressful life events, etc.) that may be associated with those rates.
Who should join our study?
The RPRP is seeking pregnant women who:
- are 18 or older
- between 24-27 week pregnant
What will the study involve?
The study will involve 6 in-person visits lasting from your 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. The first 2 visits will happen during pregnancy, and the other 4 will occur postpartum.
Visit 1 will last ~3-4 hours, while visits 2-6 should last ~1 hour.
At these visits, you’ll be asked to:
- allow collection of blood and saliva samples for genetic and hormonal studies at visits 2-6
- collect saliva samples at home the day before visits 2-6
- complete various questionnaires related to clinical and treatment history, depression, anxiety, and stress at all visits
We’ll also ask you to complete a few questionnaires remotely at 3 additional timepoints during your postpartum time period to monitor your mood. These surveys will not require a visit and should only take about 5-10 minutes to complete on your phone.
All study-related procedures will be provided free of charge, and compensation will be provided for completion of study procedures.
Interested in participating?
Click here to fill out an inquiry form.
For more information or questions about the study, contact the study coordinator listed below.
Kayla Pennycuff, Clinical Research Coordinator
Email: cfw3nk@uvahealth.org
Tel: 434-924-7046
WCG IRB # 20243320 UVA IRB # HSR240020
Epigenetic Biomarker Status, Negative Valence, and HPA-Axis Dysregulation: Mechanisms Underlying Risk for Postpartum Depression
We are conducting a research study about mood and hormone changes throughout pregnancy and the postpartum time to investigate differences in stress experiences.
Previous work has found that differences in reproductive hormone levels may be linked to differential development of postpartum depression. The purpose of this research study is to collect data about mood, stress, and hormone changes throughout your pregnancy and postpartum time to investigate differences in stress experiences. We will measure this through your self-reported experiences, as well as by measuring levels of certain hormones in your blood and saliva.
Who should join our study?
The RPRP is seeking pregnant women who:
- are 18 or older
- between 24-27 week pregnant
What will the study involve?
Please note: this study is housed within our PREVAIL study. All interested participants will be enrolled in PREVAIL. Study procedures for this study are already included as part of the PREVAIL study. You will not have to do extra study procedures or collections.
Below are the procedures included in PREVAIL that will also be used for this study:
The study will involve 6 in-person visits lasting from your 3rd trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. The first 2 visits will happen during pregnancy, and the other 4 will occur postpartum.
Visit 1 will last ~3-4 hours, while visits 2-6 should last ~1 hour.
At these visits, you’ll be asked to:
- allow collection of blood and saliva samples for genetic and hormonal studies at visits 2-6
- collect saliva samples at home the day before visits 2-6
- complete various questionnaires related to clinical and treatment history, depression, anxiety, and stress at all visits
In addition to these procedures, you have the option to complete 2 additional study activities as a part of this study.
All study-related procedures will be provided free of charge, and compensation will be provided for completion of study procedures. Additional compensation will be provided if you opt-in to completing the 2 optional study activities.
Interested in participating?
Click here to fill out an inquiry form.
For more information or questions about the study, contact the study coordinator listed below.
Elizabeth Wenzel, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Email: rds3uy@uvahealth.org
Tel: 434-264-7464
UVA IRB # HSR231649
Epigenetic Markers of Maternal Postpartum Depression in Neonates
In conjunction with UVA’s Department of Neurology, we are conducting a research study to better understand the impacts of maternal depression on infants and children. The purpose of this study is to determine how exposure to depression and/or anti-depressants during pregnancy affects the development of children after birth.
Who should join our study?
This study will only be open to newborns of individuals enrolled in the PREVAIL study.
What will the study involve?
The study will consist of 4 visits, spanning 18 months.
- Visit 1 (15 minutes): Within 2 weeks of birth, your baby’s clinical team or the research team will complete a heel prick to collect a small sample of blood from your baby. If available, the study team will also collect placental samples from the birth.
- Visit 2 (30 minutes): When your baby is 6 months old, you’ll be asked to fill out several questionnaires about your child’s development, sleep, exposure to technology, family history, and your relationship with your baby. This visit may coincide with your 6 months postpartum visit for the Prospective study.
- Visit 3 (30 minutes): When your child is 12 months old, you’ll be asked to complete similar questionnaires as you did at visit 2. Some of the questionnaires at this visit will be standardized neurodevelopmental assessments; you will receive a copy of your child’s results. This visit may be completed virtually.
- Visit 4 (2 hours): You’ll be asked to return to UVA sometime when your child is between 14-18 months old for an electroencephalogram (EEG). EEG is a non-invasive way to measure electrical activity in the brain. You and your child will wear EEG caps while completing play tasks, which will allow the research team to see how similar the activity is between you and your child’s brain.
All study-related procedures will be provided free of charge, and compensation will be provided for completion of study procedures.
Questions about the study?
For more information or questions about the study, contact the study coordinator listed below.
Lauren Williamson, PhD, Clinical Research Coordinator
Email: lea6d@uvahealth.org
Tel: 434-297-4689
UVA IRB # HSR230230
Functional Neuroimaging Insights into Postpartum Depression
We are preparing to conduct a research study investigating genetic, biological, and environmental factors that may contribute to postpartum depression. Previous work has found that certain genetic markers (biomarkers) contained in blood are able to predict if a pregnant woman is at high risk or low risk of developing postpartum depression with about 80% accuracy. This study aims to combine a woman’s biomarker status with neuroimaging (MRI) to better understand postpartum depression.
Who should join our study?
The RPRP is recruiting women enrolled in PREVAIL who:
- are 18 or older
- suffer from postpartum depression
- are generally healthy
- had an uncomplicated pregnancy
- are not currently taking SSRI (Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) medication
What will the study involve?
During the postpartum period, if eligible, participants will complete 1-2 in-person visits as well as follow-up phone calls every other week for 3 months.
- Visit 1 (completed before 3 months postpartum) will be in-person and last 3-4 hours. At this visit, you will be asked to answer questions about yourself as well as your mood, stress levels, and lifestyle behaviors and have a blood sample collected. Additionally, you will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of your brain, which will last 1-1.5 hours.
- Phone call follow-ups (every 2 weeks for 3 months after Visit 1) will monitor and assess your postpartum depression.
- Women who are prescribed an SSRI treatment by their physician or experience recovery from their postpartum depression (determined by the phone calls) will be invited to complete Visit 2. This visit will occur before 6 months postpartum, will be in-person, and will last 2-3 hours. During this visit you will answer the same questionnaire you completed at Visit 1 and will undergo another MRI scan of your brain.
All study-related procedures will be provided free of charge, and compensation will be provided for completion of study procedures.
Questions about the study?
For more information or questions about the study, contact the study coordinator listed below.
Lauren Williamson, PhD, Clinical Research Coordinator
Email: lea6d@uvahealth.org
Tel: 434-297-4689
UVA IRB # HSR240054
Allopregnanolone and Dynamic GABA-A Receptor Plasticity in Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Responsive Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
BLOOM – Bridging Luteal Ovarian Hormones and Mood
In conjunction with Johns Hopkins University, we are preparing to conduct a study investigating biologic and epigenetic changes associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and investigate the effects of anti-depressants toward managing PMS/PMDD.