Mental health articles

More attention is likewise being given to complementary and integrative medicine and its role in pregnancy. A 2001 study showed that up to 54 % of participants with depression reported past-year use of complementary and alternative medicine.
Reasons for exploring complementary approaches include, the desire for treatments to be based on a “natural approach,” feeling such treatments were congruent with their own values and beliefs, and poor prior experiences with conventional approaches.Likewise, many integrative approaches seek to optimize health, which should be the aim of all persons involved in the care of the pregnant woman. It is therefore important for clinicians to have knowledge of complementary and integrative treatments for symptoms of mental illness in the
pregnant and postpartum patient.
Several non-pharmacologic integrative treatments have shown promise as safe, effective treatments for depression in pregnancy. A small randomly controlled trial showed promise for treatment of depression with perinatal massage and even decreased rates of prematurity and low birth weight .Bright light therapy has received increasing attention after an open trial showed morning light therapy to have significant antidepressant effect during pregnancy.Likewise, acupuncture specific to depression has
been shown to be helpful in controlling symptoms in pregnant women . Despite encouraging data, many clinicians in practice feel that more
powered systematic studies are necessary to confirm the role of complementary and alternative medicine therapies in the treatment of perinatal depression.

Tags: pregnancy