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The effect of a home‐based exercise intervention on postnatal depression and fatigue: A randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Mohammadi Fatemeh,
Malakooti Jamileh,
Babapoor Jalil,
MohammadAlizadehCharandabi Sakineh
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of nursing practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.62
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1440-172X
pISSN - 1322-7114
DOI - 10.1111/ijn.12259
Subject(s) - medicine , randomized controlled trial , depression (economics) , pregnancy , physical therapy , post partum , edinburgh postnatal depression scale , depressive symptoms , anxiety , psychiatry , surgery , genetics , biology , economics , macroeconomics
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of home‐based low‐intensity stretching and breathing exercises on the reduction of 1 and 2 month post‐partum depression (primary outcome) and fatigue (secondary outcome) scores. In this randomized controlled trial, 127 women at 26–32 weeks' gestation with E dinburgh score less than 15, who attended 14 selected health centres in T abriz, I ran, were randomly allocated into one of the following three groups: no intervention group, group receiving training for exercise during pregnancy, and group receiving training for exercise during pregnancy and post‐partum period until 2 months after delivery. Depression and fatigue scores were measured using the E dinburgh P ostnatal D epression S cale and F atigue I dentification F orm, respectively, at baseline, 1 month and 2 months after delivery. The data were analysed with SPSS ‐ver. 13.0 ( SPSS Inc, Chicago , IL , USA ) using chi‐square, Fisher's exact and K ruskal– W allis tests. Mean rank of the difference scores of depression and fatigue were not significantly different among the groups, both at 1 and 2 months post‐partum ( P > 0.05). Therefore, this study did not provide evidence to show that training women to do the home‐based exercises during pregnancy or during pregnancy and post‐partum period have a preventive effect on post‐partum depression and fatigue. However, more studies are needed for making precise judgment.