Aromatherapy for Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Mental Health
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Background:

• Postpartum depression (PPD) incidence is rising globally.
• Aromatherapy is a common complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy for depression.
• Evidence on aromatherapy's efficacy for PPD requires systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the effect of aromatherapy on postpartum depression.
• To assess the impact of aromatherapy on depression scores in postpartum women.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Searched PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct databases.
• Included 4 RCTs with 303 participants; excluded non-postpartum populations.
• Analyzed depression scores using random-effects model (Hedges' g).

Main Results:

• Aromatherapy showed a trend towards reducing depression levels (Hedges' g =-0.94, 95% CI= -2.55, 0.61).
• The observed reduction in depression was not statistically significant (p<0.01, I²=88%).

Conclusions:

• Aromatherapy may be a beneficial complementary therapy for postpartum depression.
• Limited scientific evidence necessitates further robust studies.
• Aromatherapy is a safe intervention with no reported adverse effects, suitable for adjunct use with conventional treatments.