Postpartum depression (PPD)
Depression is a common mental health issue that many women experience during their childbearing years. It can manifest as persistent feelings of sadness and emptiness that last for more than 2 weeks. When this type of depression occurs after childbirth, it is called PPD. This condition can have a significant impact on a mother’s overall well-being and quality of life.
What is this review about?
PPD is a common issue that affects women after giving birth. There are various reasons why women may experience this, such as unplanned pregnancy, lack of support from family, or having a low income. Many women who have PPD find that psychological therapy is their preferred choice of treatment instead of taking medication.
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is a type of therapy that has been shown to be effective in treating different mental health disorders, including PPD. In this review, we aim to investigate whether IPT can help reduce depression among women who have recently given birth and live in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). By examining the available evidence, we hope to gain insights into the effectiveness of this therapy for postpartum women in these specific settings.
What is the aim of this study?
We aimed to find out whether IPT alone or in combination with pharmacological therapy is effective in reducing depression symptoms in comparison to other psychosocial or pharmacological treatments in postpartum women residing in LMICs.
What studies are included?
Seven databases including Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, PUBMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC(ProQuest), CINAHL, and Web of Science. These databases were searched to identify relevant studies conducted and published between January 1970 to July 2022. A total of 9380 titles and abstracts were screened followed by 345 full-text screening and finally, only 4 studies passed the quality measures and were deemed appropriate for the systematic review. The meta-analysis incorporated only three out of four studies, as one study could not be included due to insufficient data availability. Among the four studies, two were carried out in African countries, one in Iran, and one in Pakistan.
What are the main findings of the review?
The four included studies had a total sample of 188 women suffering from PPD. The IPT (ranging between 8 and 12 sessions) was given to postpartum mothers by psychologists, nurses, and community health workers and was found to be effective in a greater reduction in PPD scores in comparison to usual treatment and antidepressant therapy.
What do the findings of this review mean?
Based on our review findings, IPT could be helpful in reducing depression among postpartum women in LMICs. This finding contributes to our understanding of affordable and cost-effective treatment options for PPD in low-resource settings.
To further enhance our knowledge in this area, future research can focus on identifying the specific components of IPT that are most effective, the best ways to deliver the therapy, the optimal number of sessions needed, and guidelines for making the therapy more feasible, acceptable, and easily implemented for treating PPD in LMICs.