Interpersonal Therapy for Depression During Pregnancy
Providing brief and recurrent interpersonal therapy may be an effective strategy in reducing depressive symptoms during pregnancy. A randomized clinical trial of 234 pregnant adults with elevated depression symptoms treated patients with either enhanced usual care (EUC) or MomCare. EUC consists of maternity support services with optional mental health counseling while MomCare is a culturally relevant intervention of weekly, interpersonal therapy sessions with psychoeducation. Overall, participants in the MomCare group showed a greater reduction in depressive scores compared to participants receiving EUC. Future research will focus on whether children born to individuals undergoing the MomCare intervention experience a reduction in risk for their own mental health concerns. To learn more, see the study in JAMA Psychiatry.