Attempts to prevent postnatal depression

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7507.5

BMJ 2005;331:5-6 (2 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7507.5

Editorial

Attempts to prevent postnatal depression

Interventions have not included mental health workers, and havefailed

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A systematic review published in this week's BMJ concludes thatthe many psychosocial or psychological interventions testedso far in trials do not effectively prevent postnatal depression.¹Because this is an important disorder arising from around onein eight births, the authors call for more research on intensivesupport at home in the postnatal period.¹ As little as 20 yearsago, however, there was debate about whether postnatal depressionwas an important problem at all. It was too often dismissedas only a minor, transient problem with coping. So what happenedin the meantime to warrant these trials of possible prevention?

In 1989 the prevalence of depression among women eight monthsafter birth in population based surveys in Victoria, Australia,was 15.4% (95% confidence interval 12.8% to 18.0%)² and twosubsequent studies found very similar prevalences and confidenceintervals.^{3 4} ^w1 Depression was defined in these studies asa score of³ 13 . . . [Full text of this article]

Judith Lumley, director, mother and child health research unit

La Trobe University, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia (J.Lumley@latrobe.edu.au)

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