Postpartum Depression
Conditions
Keywords
postpartum depression, exercise
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an aerobic home-based exercise program for the treatment of postpartum depression.
Detailed description
Postpartum depression occurs in 10-16% of women, with depressive symptoms lasting up to one year post delivery. Women affected by depression in the postpartum have been shown to be at higher risk for developing a recurrent depressive disorder. While the direct and indirect costs associated with postpartum depression are unknown, those associated with depression have been found to exceed 43 billion dollars in the United States alone. Moreover, maternal depression can negatively impact the mother-infant relationship and infant development. Despite the high prevalence of postpartum depression, the condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated by primary care providers. Alternative non-medical interventions for treating postpartum depression have not been widely investigated, leaving women and health care providers with few evidence-based options for treatment. If this exercise program is shown to be effective, then this intervention can be an alternate treatment option for alleviating depressed mood for women in the postpartum period. This nonpharmacological approach may be particularly attractive as many women are reluctant to take medication in the postpartum.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALModerate-intensity Exercise
Sponsors
Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec
McGill University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* women 4 to 38 weeks following childbirth * score of 10 or more on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale * understand English or French * no current alcohol or substance abuse, * not currently participating in regular moderate or high intensity exercise (30 minutes, at least 3 times per week)
Exclusion criteria
* obstetrical or concomitant diseases which would have precluded participation in an exercise program.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Change in depressed mood scores immediately following the 3 month intervention and at 3 and 6 months post-treatment, | — |
| as measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Changes in fatigue levels (measured by the multidimensional fatigue inventory), sleep patterns, anxiety and health status. | — |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed