Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40269899›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2025

Effectiveness of Smart Mama application on postpartum depression, anxiety, and maternal-infant bonding among women during the postnatal period: a randomized controlled trial.

Yasmine M Osman, Miyuki Toda, Ayako Ogasawara, Naoki Hirose, Sanmei Chen, Hiromi Kawasaki, Yoko Shimpuku

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Yasmine M OsmanDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
Miyuki TodaDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
Ayako OgasawaraDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
Naoki HiroseDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
Sanmei ChenDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
Hiromi KawasakiDepartment of School and Public Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Yoko ShimpukuDepartment of Global Health Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan. yokoshim@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7531-7019

Funding

Public Health Research Foundation (grant ID number: 231009)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPostpartum depression and anxiety are significant public health concerns that have serious well documented negative effects on mothers and their families. However, they often remain under-recognized because of limited in-person interactions, time restrictions, lack of adequate support, and pervasive stigmatization. This study investigated the effectiveness of the Smart Mama application on postpartum depression, anxiety levels, and maternal-infant bonding at 12 weeks postpartum. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis prospective parallel-group randomized controlled trial included 148 participants from March 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Those who agreed to participate were randomly assigned to receive the Smart Mama intervention (n = 74) or routine care (n = 74), using permuted stratified block randomization. The primary outcome was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The secondary outcomes were evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Maternal-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) at baseline and the 12-week follow-up using validated standardized tools.

resultsCompared with the control group, the Smart Mama intervention group showed a significant reduction in postpartum depressive symptoms (P for time × group interaction = 0.04), with a reduction in the EPDS mean score from 9.03 (standard deviation, 2.47) to 5.61 (3.3), whereas the control group showed a change from 9.01 (2.75) to 7.16 (3.1) at 12 weeks post-intervention. Similarly, the Smart Mama intervention led to a significantly greater decrease in both state and trait anxiety levels (both P for time × group interaction < 0.05) compared to the control group. No statistically significant effect on maternal-infant bonding was observed between the intervention and control group (P for time × group interaction = 0.25). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The Smart Mama intervention significantly reduced postpartum depressive symptoms and anxiety. This study provides empirical evidence and novel insights into the effectiveness of mobile device applications. By integrating a holistic approach, Smart Mama represents a promising and innovative solution for enhancing maternal health outcomes, empowering self-care activities, and overcoming barriers to accessibility.

trial registrationThe study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trial Registry (ID: (UMIN000050065) on January 19, 2023 ( https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000056562 ).

Indexed as

AnxietyMobile healthMother-infant bondingPostpartum depressionRandomized controlled trialSmart Mama appTelenursing

Identifiers

PMID40269899
PMCPMC12016341

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.