STORK Program for Postpartum Well-Being
(STORK Trial)
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Becoming parents exerts powerful and long-lasting effects on couples' well-being and quality of life. The transition to parenthood (TtP; pregnancy to 12-months postpartum) poses significant challenges as couples balance the task of caring for a newborn while maintaining their romantic relationship. One crucial way that couples sustain their connection is through their sexuality. Most new parents experience significant disruptions to their sexual well-being (i.e., sexual satisfaction, desire, distress), with sexual concerns such as reduced sexual frequency and lack of time and energy for sex being nearly ubiquitous. Simultaneously, most new parents lack easily accessible, reliable information on the common sexual changes associated with the TtP and there is a lack of evidence-based research aimed at helping couples navigate changes to their sexual well-being across this life transition. The investigators have identified risk (e.g., stress) and protective (e.g., intimacy) factors for couples' sexual well-being across the TtP that can be targeted in a prevention program, though no such programs exist.
The goal of this two-centre randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of STORK (Supporting the Transition to Parenthood through Online Sex and Relationship Knowledge), a novel couple-based online program to support new parents' sexual well-being. This program comprises psychoeducation about common sexual changes as well as skills that couples can develop together to manage these changes and constitutes the first evidence-based program for new parent couples' sexual well-being. The investigators expect that, compared to a waitlist control group, couples who complete STORK will have better sexual, relational, and psychological adjustment across the transition to parenthood (from 13 to 27-weeks gestation to 12-months postpartum). Given that up to 78% of new parents report receiving little-to-no information about what to expect regarding changes to their postpartum sexual relationship, this study addresses the need for accessible, couple-based supports for this commonly challenging transition. By strengthening couples' sexual relationships, the results of this research have the potential to promote the quality of new parents' relationships, strengthening the overall well-being of their families during this critical life stage.
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for couples expecting a baby or who have recently become parents. They should be interested in improving their sexual well-being and relationship quality during the transition to parenthood, from pregnancy up to one year after birth.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants engage in the STORK online prevention program, focusing on psychoeducation and skills development for sexual well-being
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for sexual, relational, and psychological adjustment at multiple postpartum intervals
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- STORK Program
Trial Overview
The STORK program, an online educational resource aimed at helping new parent couples navigate changes in their sexual and romantic relationships during the transition to parenthood, is being tested against a waitlist control group.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
STORK online prevention program
Waitlist control comparison group
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Dalhousie University
Lead Sponsor
University of British Columbia
Collaborator
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