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The Article in Brief
Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Postnatal Depression in Primary Care: A Meta-Analysis
Elizabeth Ford , and colleagues
Background With approximately 13 percent of mothers experiencing postnatal depression during the first year after delivery and 90 percent of cases managed in primary care, this study analyzed existing research to assess the efficacy of psychological therapies for postnatal depression in primary care. While antidepressant medication is commonly used as a first-line treatment for postnatal depression, potential adverse effects of medication are worrisome to both mothers and clinicians, making it important to evaluate the efficacy of non-drug therapies.
What This Study Found The study, which included 10 clinical trials involving 1,324 depressed new mothers, found that psychological interventions delivered in community settings are effective treatment for postnatal depression. Compared with treatment as usual or a wait-list control, psychological interventions resulted in lower levels of depressive symptoms and higher levels of remission immediately after treatment. Improvements in symptoms at four to six months of follow-up were still significant but less robust. No particular type of therapy emerged as the most effective, but interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy showed promising results. There were also improvements in anxiety and stress, marital relationships, adjustment to parenthood, and perceived social support.
Implications
- The small number of studies available means that caution is required when interpreting the secondary results and longer-term follow-up.
- The authors recommend that primary care clinicians make psychological therapies available to their patients.