BOND Trial Aims to Improve Support for Families Facing Congenital Heart Disease
The new BOND clinical trial will test new strategies to enhance parent well-being and infant development for families facing congenital heart disease diagnoses.
A new multicenter study, the BOND trial, is set to improve support for families whose newborns are diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD). The study, conducted through the Pediatric Heart Network and co-led by Cincinnati Children's, will recruit 350 families over three years to investigate optimal ways to support parents and infants from diagnosis through the first year of life.
Congenital heart disease affects approximately 40,000 babies in the U.S. annually. For parents, the initial weeks following a diagnosis can be filled with fear, exhaustion, and uncertainty, often involving intensive neonatal care rather than typical newborn bonding.
The BOND trial will explore two primary interventions: HeartGPS, a psychological support program for parents receiving a prenatal diagnosis, and a clinical practice guideline aimed at supporting infant breastfeeding during and after intensive care.
Researchers aim to generate robust data on the effectiveness of these interventions, addressing the elevated risk of anxiety and depression that parents of children with CHD often experience. The findings could influence clinical guidelines and shape the provision of essential services for these families.