ACORN study

ACORN2 is a multi-centre, parallel arm, individually randomised controlled trial. It evaluates whether offering CALM together with usual treatment is as effective for pregnant women who have problems with anxiety, compared to usual treatment on its own. CALM (delivered remotely or online) is a newly developed five-session group intervention that gives pregnant women tools to manage their antenatal anxiety.

This study tests whether CALM:

1. improves anxiety in pregnant women during pregnancy;
2. has sustained benefits in the postnatal period, up to a year after the baby is born;
3. improves the relationship the parent has with the child and how the child develops and
4. is cost-effective for the NHS to deliver.

Over an 18-month-period, 484 women are recruited into the trial from five urban and rural sites in the UK. We work with community connectors to engage pregnant women from diverse backgrounds.