[A pilot study of prevention of postpartum blues]

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of providing information on postpartum blues during pregnancy on the intensity of the blues.

Patients and methods: A convenient sample of 37 women agreed to participate in the study during the third trimester of pregnancy and were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group received a short text of information, the second group received the text which was read and discussed and the third group was the control group. All the participants completed the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) questionnaire during the period three to five days postpartum.

Results: Given the small number of participants in the three groups and the subsequent lack of power of the study, the magnitude of the differences between the means scores of the EPDS of the three groups was estimated using effect size (ES) and indicated a small to medium effect of providing information on the blues.

Discussion and conclusion: Despite the limitations of the study mainly linked to the small sample, this study suggests that providing information on postpartum blues during the third trimester of pregnancy may reduce the intensity of the depressive dimension of the blues symptomatology.