Effectiveness of psychological interventions in the treatment of perinatal depression: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Background: Perinatal depression is a high prevalent mental health problem with serious consequences. Evidence about effective psychological interventions in treating perinatal depression has been increasing, but it lacks a comprehensive synthesis of findings. Methods: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses concerning the effectiveness of psychological interventions in treating perinatal depression (depression during pregnancy and the first 12 months postpartum) in adult women was conducted. The electronic databases MEDLINE (PubMed), PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Prospero were searched, on May 2020, using a combination of keywords. Data were independently extracted by two authors and a synthesis of the results was presented. Methodological quality was independently assessed by two authors, using AMSTAR-2. Results: Seven systematic reviews were included and reported, overall, the effectiveness of psychological interventions in decreasing depressive symptoms in women in the perinatal period, both short and long-term. CBT was found to be the most effective intervention, regardless of the treatment format. Limitations: Grey literature was not searched, and some studies may overlap among the included systematic reviews. These (the included reviews) were rated with low methodological quality, which weakens the evidence of the reported results. Conclusions: CBT is currently the most evidence-based psychological intervention, provided in different delivery formats (individual, group, face-to-face or Internet-based). Further studies, including systematic reviews, with other types of psychological interventions (e.g., third-wave CBT) and with higher quality are needed.

Automated summary

Perinatal depression is a prevalent mental health problem, and psychological interventions, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, have been found to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms in women during the perinatal period. Further high-quality studies are needed to explore other types of psychological interventions for perinatal depression.