Few women get help for low mood during pregnancy, however, it is important to treat low mood as symptoms could affect the mother and baby. We have compared two short one-to-one talking therapies for treating depression in pregnancy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal counselling (IPC).

CACH team: Jenny Ingram, Debbie Johnson. Jointly with Centre for Academic Mental Health, PI Jonathan Evans. Funded by NIHR RfPB.

 

We have completed a feasibility randomised controlled trial of 52 women in Bristol and Exeter to see whether a larger trial is possible. Pregnant women with depression were identified through scanning clinic appointments and midwifery clinics. Those willing to take part were randomised to have either six sessions of IPC or CBT. In every other way these women received usual care. After 12-weeks we measured women’s mood, well-being, relationship satisfaction and use of health care. We interviewed women, their partners and staff providing treatments to understand whether IPC is an acceptable approach for pregnancy. Those receiving IPC considered it to be a very acceptable therapy, but partners were rarely included in the sessions. We plan to apply for funding to undertake a larger national study.

Publications

• Protocol paper: 

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/8/e032649

• Feasibility trial findings: 

https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-021-03482-x

• Qualitative paper: 

https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-021-04247-w