None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Depression in pregnancy is common and also associated with detrimental consequences to both mother and child. Current treatments are limited in that they are not universally effective and also many pregnant women are reluctant to take anti-depressant medications during pregnancy, due to fear of negative foetal effects. Acupuncture may offer a safe alternative as preliminary evidence is suggestive that it is effective in reducing depressive symptoms both during pregnancy and also into the postnatal period. In order to strengthen this evidence base further research is required. How acupuncture may achieve this effect is also unknown and in order to investigate this further, this study aims to assess whether acupuncture positively influences a hormone that is involved in stress buffering, mood stabilisation and maternal / infant bonding.
Interventions
A one hour depression specific individually tailored acupuncture protocol, will be performed every week for eight weeks, from gestation week 24 through to 31 inclusive, by the chief investigator, on randomised consenting depressed pregnant women.
Sponsors
Western Sydney University - National Institute of Complementary Medicine
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Pregnant women will be eligible if they are: 18 years of age or older, at 24 weeks of gestation, currently experiencing a mood disorder and have a Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores of greater than or equal to 13.
Exclusion criteria
Women experiencing: a major depressive episode more than 2 years duration; psychotic or manic features rendering them incapable of consent; post-traumatic stress disorder and phobia to needles; a current psychiatric assessment of suicidal risk; a condition necessitating bed rest; bleeding disorders and or other major obstetric risks will be excluded; as will those receiving acupuncture or PMR outside of the study.
Outcome results
None listed