Caregiver support for postpartum depression

Supportive relationships during the perinatal period may enhance a mother's feeling of wellbeing and control. Support to women during labour and after birth has shown benefits and this may also be the case for mothers with postpartum depression.

The objective of this review was to assess the effect of professional and/or social support interventions for the treatment of postpartum depression.

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register. Date of last search: January 2001.

Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing additional support from caregivers with usual forms of care in the postpartum period, in women who were clinically depressed in the six months after giving birth.

Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted by both reviewers. Study authors were contacted for additional information.

Two studies involving 137 women were included. There is potential for bias in at least one study, due to large numbers of women refusing to take part in the trial as well as significant losses to follow-up during the trial. Treatment of postpartum depression with support was associated with a reduction in depression at 25 weeks after giving birth (odds ratio 0.34, 95% confidence intervals 0.17 to 0.69).

There is some indication that professional and/or social support may help in the treatment of postpartum depression. The types of support should be investigated to assess which models are most effective.