Acupuncture Improves Depression in Pregnant Women
Presenters at the Pregnancy Meeting sponsored by the Society for Maternal-Fetal meeting, recently held in Chicago, revealed findings that acupuncture may be an effective treatment depression during pregnancy.
“Depression during pregnancy is an issue of concern because it has negative effects on the mother and the baby as well as the rest of the family,” said Dr. Schnyer, one of the study’s authors.
While the rates of depression in pregnant women are comparable to rates seen among similarly aged non-pregnant women and among women during the postpartum period, there are fewer treatment studies of depression during pregnancy than during the postpartum period.
Anti-depressant during pregnancy affects the mother and the developing baby.
150 participants with Major Depressive Disorder were randomly placed in a either a group that received acupuncture specific treatment for depression, or one of two active controls: control acupuncture (they didn’t receive acupuncture specific treatment, but another form of acupuncture) or massage.
The women received 12 sessions during a two month period. Junior acupuncturists masked to treatment assignment needled participants at points prescribed by senior acupuncturists. The mother’s symptoms of depression were rated at the beginning, and after four and eight weeks of treatment.
The women receiving the acupuncture specific treatment experienced a significantly greater decrease in depression severity compared to the combined controls or the non-specific acupuncture group alone. They also had a higher response rate (63.0%) than the combined controls or control acupuncture alone. Symptom reduction and response rates did not differ significantly between controls.
Mild and temporary side effects were reported in 43 of the 150 participants (20 in the depression specific group, 19 in the non-specific group and 4 in the massage group). Notably fewer participants reported side effects in the massage group than in the two acupuncture groups.
Dr. Schyner said, “The results of our study show that the acupuncture protocol we tested could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy.