Prepartum depression; a study of seventy unwed mothers treated with d-amphetamine sulfate and amobarbital

Seventy unwed pregnant patients in states of mild to moderate depression evidenced by one or more symptoms (tenseness, "nervousness," crying spells, listlessness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, insomnia and overeating), received informal psychotherapy and a sustained-release capsule combining d-amphetamine sulfate and amobarbital.Forty-eight patients had complete or substantial relief of symptoms, 15 had partial relief, seven had slight or no relief. Use of the preparation seemed to make tense, "nervous" patients more communicative and amenable to counseling, but was less effective in listless, easily fatigued patients. Because of its direct mood-alleviating action and its ability to facilitate psychotherapy, the d-amphetamine sulfate-amobarbital combination proved a very effective treatment for mild and moderate depression accompanying pregnancy.