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Effectiveness of an Exercise Support Program in Reducing the Severity of Postnatal Depression in Taiwanese Women
Author(s) -
Heh ShuShya,
Huang LianHua,
Ho ShiaoMing,
Fu YuYing,
Wang LiLin
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
birth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.233
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1523-536X
pISSN - 0730-7659
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-536x.2007.00192.x
Subject(s) - childbirth , edinburgh postnatal depression scale , medicine , randomized controlled trial , depression (economics) , physical therapy , postpartum depression , postpartum period , social support , pregnancy , psychology , anxiety , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , genetics , surgery , macroeconomics , economics , psychotherapist , biology
Background:Depression during the perinatal period should be identified as early as possible to avoid negative effects on the new family. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an exercise support program on reducing psychological morbidity after childbirth.Methods:A controlled trial was conducted in a regional hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Eighty primiparas with an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score above 10 at 4 weeks postpartum agreed to participate. They were allocated alternately to an intervention (to receive exercise support) and control group (to receive standard care) at 6 weeks postpartum. The exercise support consisted of 1 hour per week at the hospital and two sessions at home for 3 months. Sixty‐three primiparas finished the exercise support program. The main outcome measure was the EPDS score at 5 months postpartum.Results:Women who received the exercise support program were less likely to have high depression scores after childbirth when compared with the control group.Conclusions:The exercise support program given to postpartum women appeared to benefit their psychological well‐being. This promising finding should be tested in a well‐designed randomized controlled trial. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)