MSU Researchers Seek To Expand Access To Successful Postpartum Depression Prevention Program

A Michigan State University-led research team now offers a program that can help prevent postpartum depression. And they want to make sure all pregnant people can benefit.

“We offer a program that has been shown to reduce postpartum depression by 50%,” said Jennifer E. Johnson, founding chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health and chief translation officer in the Office of Health Sciences at Michigan State University. “We have seen these results in at least five randomized trials, and the program has been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for moms at risk. We believe that all moms should have access to these services.”

According to the federal Office on Women’s Health, at least one in eight women experience postpartum depression in the year after they give birth. Now, half of postpartum depression cases can be prevented through a four-session class during pregnancy called Reach Out, stay Strong Essentials, or ROSE. This was developed and validated by Johnson’s longtime research collaborator, Caron Zlotnick, a faculty member at Brown University.

To show that ROSE can be beneficial for everyone, the ROSES II project at Michigan State University, which also includes collaborators from Brown University and Henry Ford Health and is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, is seeking healthy pregnant people in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington to participate in virtual interviews before and after birth. Some participants would also engage in the four-session ROSE Program. Pregnant people interested in participating can submit a form online or visit ROSEmom.org to register.

“The goal of the ROSES II project is to reduce suffering and increase joy for as many moms as possible during what can be a stressful and isolating time,” Johnson said. “We are excited to connect more pregnant people with ROSE to prevent as many cases of postpartum depression as possible.

Postpartum depression is a public health challenge with serious, lasting consequences for mothers and children. Prevention begins during pregnancy. The ROSE program is a set of four meetings during pregnancy focused on building support, relationships, self-care, assertive communication and goal-setting. The program prevents postpartum depression by helping pregnant people think through what their needs might be and put support plans in place before the baby arrives.

There is no proven or consistent way to predict who may be at risk for postpartum depression. After implementing ROSE across the country, Johnson and her team believe that it is more equitable and cost-effective to offer ROSE to every pregnant person, rather than to guess who may benefit from the program. Their current project seeks to change national recommendations to offer postpartum depression prevention services to everyone.