CIPPD

Overview

CIPPD aims to develop and pilot a couples-based intervention to prevent perinatal depression in rural India by strengthening supportive partner relationships during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The project will first engage pregnant and postpartum couples to understand their needs, preferences, and the barriers and facilitators to meaningfully involving husbands in perinatal mental health support. Building on this, CIPPD will co-develop an evidence-based intervention focused on improving spousal support, shared decision-making, and relationship dynamics to reduce the risk of perinatal depression. In a future phase, the project will assess the intervention’s feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness through a mixed-methods pilot randomised controlled trial.

CIPPD is funded by National Institute of Child Health & Development.

Rationale

Perinatal depression is a significant public health concern in rural India, with lasting impacts on maternal wellbeing, infant health, and family functioning. Yet most prevention approaches focus primarily on mothers, despite strong evidence that partner support, relationship quality, and shared decision-making play a key role in protecting women’s mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In many rural settings, husbands influence care-seeking, household decision-making, and the availability of emotional and practical support, but are rarely engaged in perinatal mental health interventions.