First program to prevent postnatal depression with partner and baby involvement - Results released
AN intervention program which aimed to reduce postnatal depression has halved the incidence of depression and anxiety in women with no history of psychiatric problems in the first six month after giving birth.
The results of the 'What Were We Thinking?' study were presented at the Australasian Marcé Society and Australian Association for Infant Mental Health Inc. 2OO9 Joint Conference last week, which was held at the University of Melbourne.
Associate Professor Jane Fisher, a co-investigator of the study from the Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, said the study of around 400 women was the only mental health prevention program to date to include the mother's partner and newborn baby.
"These results reveal how a small group education program targeting factors not addressed before - such as infant soothing and settling and day to day interactions in partner relationships - can be very successful in reducing the incidence of mild to moderate post natal depression and anxiety in new mothers," Assoc. Prof. Fisher said.
Dr Heather Rowe, co-investigator of the study and also of the Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, said the study had helped to show how post natal depression was not accurately described as a problem of individual women but rather reflected the quality of her close relationships.
"This is promising evidence that the inclusion of fathers and infants in additional small group education programs has sustained benefits."
The program was conducted in locally accessible Maternal and Child Health Centres in regional (Shepparton, Bairnsdale and Mornington) and metropolitan areas (Cities of Yarra, Casey and Nillumbik) in Victoria. Of the 400 participants, all received standard care and 189 were also invited to participate in the 'What Were We Thinking?' intervention program when their babies were four weeks old.
The half day program with trained supervised nurses - and take home materials for ongoing reference - covered strategies to manage infant crying and soothing and to negotiate changes in the partner relationship associated with the increased workload of managing the baby. Both groups received standard health care which included access to a Maternal and Child Health nurse.
The results revealed that in women who had no prior history of mental health problems, those who attended the intervention program had less than half the incidence of depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders than in those who had only received standard care.
The study's investigators hope the program will be adopted as part of routine Maternal and Child Health Care throughout Australia and that it will be developed in the future to meet the needs of people with specific needs including women with a history of mental illness, non English speaking backgrounds and young parents.