At a recent annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, The Pregnancy Meeting, presenters revealed the findings that show acupuncture may be an effective treatment for 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 treatment during pregnancy can affect the developing baby and mothers as well.
The 150 study participants with Major Depressive Disorder were randomly placed in one of three groups: one that received acupuncture specific depression treatment; one that received control acupuncture-they received acupuncture that was not specific for depression and the last received 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.
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