Delivering the Thinking Healthy Programme as a universal group intervention integrated into routine antenatal care: a...

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Public health interventions
• Psychology

Background:

• Perinatal depression poses significant health risks to mothers and children.
• There's a need for non-stigmatizing interventions to reduce psychosocial distress during pregnancy.
• The Thinking Healthy Programme (THP) was adapted for universal delivery in online pregnancy schools in Istanbul, Turkey.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted THP - Brief Group version (THP-BGV).
• To assess the intervention's integration into routine antenatal care.
• To gather stakeholder perspectives on the adapted THP-BGV.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining a pilot randomized controlled trial and qualitative interviews.
• Pregnant women (12-30 weeks gestation) were recruited from online pregnancy schools.
• Intervention group received five online THP-BGV sessions; control group received usual care.

Main Results:

• High eligibility (91.9%) and consent (88.8%) rates, with 83% completing assessments.
• The intervention was feasible for integration into routine antenatal classes and valued by participants and providers.
• Trends suggested reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms in the intervention arm; no serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

• The adapted THP-BGV is a feasible and acceptable preventive intervention for perinatal depression.
• A fully powered randomized controlled trial is warranted to confirm efficacy.
• This intervention holds potential for low and middle-income countries.