Acupuncture treatment for depression during pregnancy

Depression is a medical condition and results from a combination of factors such as life style, family history, personality and stressful events. Changes in brain chemistry such as neurotransmitters are believed to play a big role in depression. It is known that women are at greater risk of depression at certain time in their lives, such as puberty, during pregnancy, and during perimanopause. The hormonal and physical changes and added responsibility of new life can lead to postnatal depression, also called postpartum. It is characterized by feelings of sadness, indifference, exhaustion and anxiety. It affects approximately one in every ten women who have had a child. Pharmacologic treatments of depression during pregnancy increasingly raise the concerns about the safety for the developing foetus, and pregnant women are often reluctant to take antidepressant medication. Consequently there is a need for safe, effective alternative treatments for depression during pregnancy.

Dr. Manber and colleagues studied the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture on pregnant women with depression. The results are particularly interesting. One hundred and fifty women were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) acupuncture, in which depressive symptoms were specifically addressed (n = 52); (2) valid controlled acupuncture, which was not specifically tailored for depression (n = 49); and (3) massage therapy (n = 49). The treatment consisted of 12 sessions (25 to 30 min each) over an 8-week period. Patients and the treating acupuncturist were blinded. Symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 and Beck Depression Inventory. At the end of the treatment, women who received acupuncture specific for depression experienced greater rate of reduction in symptom severity compared with the control groups. They also had significantly greater response rate than control groups.

In conclusion, acupuncture treatment demonstrated symptom reduction and response rate comparable to those observed in standard medication. Acupuncture could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy.

Reference

R Manber et al., (2010) Obstet Gynecol. 115(3):511-20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20177281