Effectiveness of informational support in reducing the severity of postnatal depression in Taiwan

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of informational support in reducing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores in Taiwan.

Methods: Five hundred Taiwanese women were screened during the fourth week after giving birth and those with a score of over 10 on the EPDS were considered to be at risk of postnatal depression. Seventy postpartum women were randomly allocated to the experimental or control group. Only those in the experimental group received informational support about postnatal depression during the sixth week postpartum. Two groups were assessed by the EPDS at 3 months postpartum to explore their depressive status.

Results: Taiwanese women who received informational support about postnatal depression 6 weeks after giving birth experienced lower EPDS scores at 3 months postpartum than those who did not receive this information.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that informational support about postnatal depression given to women in the postnatal period may contribute to psychological well-being.