Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-kw2vx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-10T15:35:53.333Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prevention and treatment of post-partum depression: a controlled randomized study on women at risk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2002

H. CHABROL, ,
F. TEISSEDRE, ,
M. SAINT-JEAN, ,
N. TEISSEYRE, ,
B. ROGÉ  and
E. MULLET
H. CHABROL,
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
F. TEISSEDRE,
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
M. SAINT-JEAN,
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
N. TEISSEYRE,
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
B. ROGÉ
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
E. MULLET
Affiliation:
From the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Psychopathologie, Université de Toulouse-Le-Mirail, Toulouse, France
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background. Research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of prevention and treatment for post-partum depression.

Method. Subjects were screened with the Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the obstetric clinic. Mothers at risk (N = 258) (EPDS scores [ges ]9) were randomly assigned to a prevention/treatment group or a control group. The prevention group received one cognitive-behavioural prevention session during hospitalization. At 4 to 6 weeks post-partum, subjects were screened again with the EPDS, after drop-out rates (refusals plus no return of the second EPDS) of 25.4% (33/130) in the intervention group and 10.9% (14/128) in the control group. Mothers with probable depression (EPDS scores [ges ]11) were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Mothers with major depression continued in the treatment group (N = 18) or in the control group (N = 30). Treated subjects received a cognitive-behavioural programme of between five and eight weekly home-visits.

Results. Compared with the control group, women in the prevention group had significant reductions in the frequency of probable depression (30.2% v. 48.2%). Recovery rates based on HDRS scores of <7 and BDI scores of <4 were also significantly greater in the treated group than in the control group.

Conclusions. The study suggests that this programme for prevention and treatment of post-partum depression is reasonably well-accepted and efficacious.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 6 , August 2002 , pp. 1039 - 1047
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)