Interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression : a treatment program

Postpartum depression is a frequent complication of childbirth. Postpartum depression is associated with disruptions in interpersonal relationships, and the puerperium is a period of major role transition. In contrast to other subtypes of depression, however, postpartum depression often is not treated with medication, which is relatively contraindicated for women who are breastfeeding. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) focuses specifically on the effects of depression on interpersonal functioning; this focus renders IPT a potentially useful psychosocial treatment for postpartum depression. The authors describe the use of IPT for the treatment of women with postpartum depression and present preliminary results from an open treatment trial of IPT.