The role of alternative medicine in treating postnatal depression

Postnatal depression is a serious and debilitating condition. Due to the perceived stigma of mental illness, the incidence of it is under-reported and many mothers refuse psychiatric help, either assuming postnatal depression to be normal or because of the potential consequences of having a psychiatric history. Community practitioners who are in contact enhance the supportive care they give to these women. This article discusses the evidence for a number of these interventions which mothers may find more acceptable than orthodox treatment.