Prevention of Recurrent Postpartum Major Depression
Abstract
Objective: Postpartum depression affects between 10 and 15 percent of new mothers. These mothers are apprehensive about recurrence after later births. This study tested the efficacy of antidepressant medication administered during the postpartum period to prevent a recurrence of postpartum depression among women who had suffered a previous episode. Methods: An open clinical trial was conducted at a university-based outpatient clinic treating pregnant and postpartum women with mood disorders. Study participants were 23 pregnant women who had at least one previous postpartum episode that fit DSM-III-R criteria for nonbipolar major depression without psychotic features. Postpartum monitoring for recurrence of depressive symptoms was compared witb postpartum monitoring plus postbirth treatment with either the medication that had been effective for the previous episode or nortriptyline. The first dose was given within 24 hours of birth. The authors assessed recurrence of postpartum major depression by psychiatric examination and use of the Inventory to Diagnose Depression, a reliable self-report instrument. Results: A significantly greater proportion of the women who elected monitoring alone (62.5 percent) suffered recurrence of major depression compared with the women who received monitoring plus medication (6.7 percent) (p= .0086). Conclusions: Prophylactic antidepressant treatment reduced the recurrence of postpartum major depression.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
