NICM, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Women Birth. 2018 Dec;31(6):469-478. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2017.10.009. Epub 2017 Nov 15.
Research indicates some women experiencing depression during pregnancy are dissatisfied with conventional depression treatments due to incomplete effectiveness, dislike of side effects, unsatisfactory experiences with providers and concerns regarding in-utero and breastfeeding safety. Consequently, many explore alternative options including acupuncture. To further understand women's views, preferences and motivations in this regard, as well as their experiences of receiving acupuncture as part of a three-armed pragmatic randomised controlled trial evaluating acupuncture for antenatal depression in Sydney, Australia, in-depth interviews were conducted with a group of acupuncture recipients.
Eight participants who had completed the eight-treatment intervention were interviewed. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.
The overarching theme to emerge was that women 'felt trapped between a rock and a hard place', in not wanting to feel the way they did, but also not knowing what else to do, as conventional treatments had been inadequate or unsatisfactory, or were now unacceptable during pregnancy. With a mixture of curiosity and open-mindedness, or scepticism and desperation, the women in this study decided to try acupuncture, to 'give it a go', in the hope of receiving benefits. After treatment, these women reported being surprised by 'gaining relief' from symptoms, that they also felt were cumulative and ongoing.
The women in this study described gaining benefits from acupuncture that they felt enabled them to better manage their lives and the changes that pregnancy brings. These findings provide new understanding regarding the possible role acupuncture could provide as a supportive treatment for antenatal depression.
研究表明，一些在怀孕期间患有抑郁症的女性对传统的抑郁症治疗方法不满意，因为这些方法的效果不完整、有不良反应、与提供者的治疗体验不佳，以及对胎儿和哺乳期安全性的担忧。因此，许多女性探索替代方案，包括针灸。为了进一步了解女性在这方面的观点、偏好和动机，以及她们在澳大利亚悉尼接受三臂实用随机对照试验评估针灸治疗产前抑郁症的一部分的针灸治疗的经验，对一组接受针灸治疗的女性进行了深入访谈。
对 8 名完成 8 次治疗干预的参与者进行了访谈。使用主题分析对数据进行分析。
出现的首要主题是女性“感到进退两难”，既不想有这种感觉，又不知道还能做什么，因为常规治疗要么不够充分，要么不尽如人意，要么在怀孕期间已不再可用。这些女性出于好奇和开放心态，或者怀疑和绝望，决定尝试针灸，“试试看”，希望能从中受益。治疗后，这些女性报告说她们对“缓解症状”感到惊讶，她们也感到这些症状是累积性的和持续的。
本研究中的女性描述了从针灸中获得的益处，她们觉得这些益处使她们能够更好地管理自己的生活和怀孕带来的变化。这些发现为针灸作为产前抑郁症的支持性治疗可能发挥的作用提供了新的认识。
