Get to Know the Mindful Moms Study

Based at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the Mindful Moms Study is a research project looking at how to better support women's mental health and well-being through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Right now, we are welcoming pregnant women in their second trimester (12–26 weeks) who are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed to take part.

How We Began

The Mindful Moms Study started from a straightforward yet meaningful insight: pregnancy and the postpartum period can be emotionally demanding, and many women don't have easy access to tools that support their mental well-being at this time. Co-Principal Investigators Patricia Kinser, PhD, WHNP-BC, RN, FAAN, an Endowed Professor at the VCU School of Nursing, and Susan Bodnar-Deren, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology at VCU, lead a team that draws on expertise in nursing, sociology, and maternal health. Alongside an interdisciplinary group of collaborators, a dedicated study coordinator, and research assistants, we are exploring what helps women feel supported throughout pregnancy and beyond.

What Drives Us

We aim to understand mental health and well-being around pregnancy—and to put what we learn to work improving the tools and support women can access during and after pregnancy. When women join the Mindful Moms Study, they help shape stronger resources both for themselves and for those who come after them.

What Takes Place in the Study

We run a community-based research study that brings together surveys, prenatal yoga or pregnancy education classes, and one-on-one interviews. Here is what participants in the Mindful Moms Study do:

• Fill out surveys at several points during the study, with a study team member explaining each one.
• Join 12 weeks of prenatal yoga or pregnancy education classes free of charge.
• Get a weekly check-in from a study team member across those 12 weeks to talk through their experiences.
• Complete a private interview roughly six weeks after giving birth, which includes a small blood draw.

Over the course of the study, participants can earn up to $180, and every class is offered at no cost.

Who Can Take Part

We work with pregnant women in their second trimester (12–26 weeks) who are dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression. Our study is community-based, and we are dedicated to learning from women about their own experiences—because what you experience matters.

The Principles Behind Our Work

• Listening: We want to hear what you have to say. Your experience shapes what we do.
• Care: Our team is recognized for a caring approach and a dedication to supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum.
• Collaboration: We partner with interdisciplinary collaborators and community partners to make our research stronger.
• Accessibility: We provide prenatal yoga or pregnancy education classes at no cost, plus compensation for the time participants give.
• Rigor: The study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) (R01NR020220; PI: Kinser), registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 04886856), and approved by the VCU Institutional Review Board (HM20021720).

Take Part

If you are in your second trimester and feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, we invite you to find out more and sign up. To check eligibility, simply answer the screening questions on our enrollment page. If you qualify and would like to take part, a study staff member will share more details, respond to your questions, and ask for your consent to enroll.

Have questions? We would be glad to hear from you. Call or text the study team at (804) 273-7267, call (804) 828-5181, or send an email to [email protected].