Depression and Anxiety Trial, Recruiting

Written by an AI model from ClinicalTrials.gov eligibility criteria and checked on a sample basis. Please confirm against the original criteria.

Who might be able to join this trial:

• Women of reproductive age between 18 and 45 years old at the time of giving consent
• People who have been diagnosed with a non-psychotic Major Depressive Episode (a serious episode of depression without psychosis) that began during or shortly after pregnancy, as assessed through a specific structured clinical interview
• People who are between 0 and 12 months postpartum (after giving birth) at the screening stage, and who will still be within that 12-month window at a follow-up visit 5 days after treatment ends
• People who are currently taking antidepressant medication and/or attending talk therapy, provided they have been on a stable and unchanged regimen for at least 30 days before enrolling
• People whose depression is rated as severe, scoring 20 or above on a specific clinical depression scale (called the MADRS) at screening
• People whom a physician has determined to be a suitable candidate for a brain stimulation treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
• People who are able to give informed consent and who are sufficiently proficient in English to understand and follow the study requirements
• People who agree to use effective contraception throughout the duration of the study while in the postpartum period
• People who are willing and able to attend all required visits, complete all assessments, and participate for the full length of the study

Who may not be able to join:

• People who have attempted suicide in the past 6 months, or who have expressed suicidal intent as assessed by a physician at the time of enrollment
• People who score at the highest level (6) on the suicidal ideation item of the MADRS depression scale at screening
• People who are currently experiencing psychosis, as assessed by the study investigator
• People who have a primary lifetime diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder
• People who have had an active eating disorder or substance use disorder in the past 6 months, or who return a positive drug screen result that the lead investigator considers a reason for exclusion
• People who are taking certain medications that are not permitted, including high doses of benzodiazepines (a type of sedative or anti-anxiety medication) or other medications that the study investigator determines would interfere with the rTMS treatment
• People who have a history of sleep apnea that has not been treated or has not been adequately treated
• People who have a history of significant neurological conditions, such as epilepsy or unexpected seizures, developmental disability, dementia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, brain tumour, a blood clot under the skull (subdural hematoma), multiple sclerosis, or significant head trauma
• People who have a major untreated physical health condition, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hormonal/endocrine disorders (confirm with trial site for full list)
• People for whom the rTMS treatment is medically unsuitable — for example, those with metal implants in the head, a history of seizures, or a known brain lesion
• People for whom an MRI scan is not safe — for example, those with certain types of metal in their body
• People who are currently pregnant
• People who have previously received rTMS treatment for any reason, as this could affect the blinding process of the study

Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.