Interventions (other than pharmacological, psychosocial or psychological) for treating antenatal depression.

BACKGROUND

A meta-analysis of 21 studies suggests the mean prevalence rate for depression across the antenatal period is 10.7%, ranging from 7.4% in the first trimester to a high of 12.8% in the second trimester. Due to maternal treatment preferences and potential concerns about fetal and infant health outcomes, diverse non-pharmacological treatment options are needed.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of interventions other than pharmacological, psychosocial, or psychological interventions compared with usual antepartum care in the treatment of antenatal depression.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 January 2013), scanned secondary references and contacted experts in the field to identify other published or unpublished trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All published and unpublished randomised controlled trials of acceptable quality evaluating non-pharmacological/psychosocial/psychological interventions to treat antenatal depression.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Both review authors participated in the evaluation of methodological quality and data extraction. Results are presented using risk ratio (RR) for categorical data and mean difference (MD) for continuous data.

MAIN RESULTS

Six trials were included involving 402 women from the United States, Switzerland, and Taiwan. For most comparisons a single trial contributed data and there were few statistically significant differences between control and intervention groups.In a trial with 38 women maternal massage compared with non-specific acupuncture (control group) did not significantly decrease the number of women with clinical depression or depressive symptomatology immediately post-treatment (risk ratio (RR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 2.53; mean difference (MD) -2.30, 95% CI -6.51 to 1.91 respectively). In another trial with 88 women there was no difference in treatment response or depression remission rates in women receiving maternal massage compared with those receiving non-specific acupuncture (RR 1.33, 95% CI 0.82 to 2.18; RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.59 to 2.19 respectively).In a trial with 35 women acupuncture specifically treating symptoms of depression, compared with non-specific acupuncture, did not significantly decrease the number of women with clinical depression or depressive symptomatology immediately post-treatment (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.11 to 2.13; MD -3.00, 95% CI -8.10 to 2.10). However, women who received depression-specific acupuncture were more likely to respond to treatment compared with those receiving non-specific acupuncture (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.66).In a trial with 149 women, maternal massage by a woman's significant other, compared with standard care, significantly decreased the number of women with depressive symptomatology immediately post-treatment (MD -6.70, 95% CI -9.77 to -3.63). Further, women receiving bright light therapy had a significantly greater change in their mean depression scores over the five weeks of treatment than those receiving a dim light placebo (one trial, n = 27; MD -4.80, 95% CI -8.39 to -1.21). However, they were not more likely to have a treatment response or experience a higher remission rate (RR 1.79, 95% CI 0.90 to 3.56; RR 1.89, 95% CI 0.81 to 4.42).Lastly, two trials examined the treatment effect of omega-3 oils. Women receiving omega-3 had a significantly lower mean depression score following eight weeks of treatment than those receiving a placebo (one trial, n = 33; MD -4.70, 95% CI -7.82 to -1.58). Conversely, in a smaller trial (21 women) there was no significant difference in the change in mean depression scores for women receiving omega-3 and those receiving a placebo (MD 0.36, 95% CI -0.17 to 0.89), and women who received omega-3 were no more likely to respond to treatment (RR 2.26, 95% CI 0.78 to 6.49) or have higher remission rates (RR 2.12, 95% CI 0.51 to 8.84). Women in the placebo group were just as likely to report a side effect as those in the omega-3 group (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.56 to 2.27).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The evidence is inconclusive to allow us to make any recommendations for depression-specific acupuncture, maternal massage, bright light therapy, and omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of antenatal depression. The included trials were too small with non-generalisable samples, to make any recommendations.