You’re not alone. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and can affect the structure of your baby’s heart and how it works. In Heart2HEART, we are studying whether a prenatal maternal Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention helps to improve maternal and infant outcomes for pregnant women carrying fetuses diagnosed with CHD. Our team is here to help moms reduce the anxiety, depression, and stress they feel during pregnancy and after giving birth. Our evidence-based intervention supports moms from the time they receive the CHD diagnosis and soon after they give birth. This important study also offers peer support from moms who have personal experience with a CHD journey.
Contact us to join the Heart2HEART study
Evidence-based interventions support moms from the time of CHD diagnosis and continue weeks after they give birth
Purpose
Heart2HEART Healing, Empowering and Restorative Therapy is recruiting pregnant women who receive a confirmed fetal CHD diagnosis that will require open-heart surgery after their baby is born. Our research aims to understand these women’s unique experiences and mental health concerns and will provide information about the impact of prenatal CBT on future moms’ psychological anxiety, depression, and stress. The Heart2HEART study includes one group and six individual counseling sessions, all conducted virtually with a licensed psychologist. Our goal is to empower moms-to-be through self-care strategies, mindfulness lessons and narrative activities to improve mood. To date, we are aware of no evidence-based intervention for moms carrying fetuses diagnosed with CHD in a pediatric setting.
FAQ
Pregnant women with a CHD diagnosis (confirmed by fetal echocardiography) that will require open-heart surgery after their child’s birth who screen positive/high for stress, depression, or anxiety. Pregnant study participants will be at least 18 weeks and no more than 32 weeks gestation.