[Effectiveness of a manualized cognitive-behavioural intervention for postnatal depression]. / Efficacia di un intervento cognitivo-comportamentale manualizzato nella depressione post-partum.

AIM: Important guidelines recommend cognitive-behavioural interventions for postnatal depression but in the clinical practice they are not really diffused. This study describes the results and effectiveness of a structured cognitive-behavioural intervention implemented in a public mental health department. METHODS: The study involved 54 depressed women drawn from a community screening programme for postnatal depression in Bergamo province. Intervention was conducted on group and individual basis following a cognitive-behavioural programme of 10-15 weeks duration, including at least one partner session and adhered to a structured manual. Baseline and post intervention measures of depression and health were collected through validated rating scales. RESULTS: Following treatment, a significant improvement was demostrated on Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Short Form-12. The improvements were manteined after a 12 mounths follow up. CONCLUSIONS: These results are encouraging and suggest that brief and structured cognitive behavioral interventions can be effective as a treatment for depression in postnatal period and routinely implemented in the clinical practice.

[Prevalence and risk factors of postnatal depression among women attending antenatal courses]. / Prevalenza e fattori di rischio della depressione post parto tra le donne che partecipano ai corsi pre parto.

AIMS: Postnatal depression, the most frequent complication occurring after pregnancy, is often not recognized. The prevalence of postnatal depression is currently considered to be 10-15% in western countries. A wide range of risk factors related to postnatal depression were researched in international studies. Our aim was to evaluate the risk factors and their frequency in a women population of Bergamo Province and compare the results with findings of international literature. METHODS: 595 women taking part to antenatal courses in three hospitals in Bergamo Province were screened for Postnatal Depression using EPDS and clinical interview. Prevalence and possible psychosocial risk factors data were collected and subsequently analysed and compared with literature findings. RESULTS: Thirty six (7.1%) women of our sample had postnatal depression. Depressed mood and depression during pregnancy, anxiety during pregnancy, poor social support, recent life events, a history of depression or other psychiatric history, presence of maternity blues were the strongest predictors of postnatal depression in our sample. CONCLUSIONS: The Psychosocial risk factors emerged from our study are substantially the same indicated by international studies, on the contrary prevalence is a little lower. This result may be explained considering that our women sample wasn't completely representative of general population.