Exercise and health education programmes can effectively reduce the risk for postnatal depression.
Exercise and health education programmes can effectively reduce the risk for postnatal depression.
Giving birth involves many changes in a woman's physical, emotional, and social health and this at times leads to postnatal depression. Previous studies have shown that general exercise improves mood states in younger and older women, improves well-being, and leads to a reduction in depressive symptoms in mothers diagnosed with postnatal depression. However, no studies have evaluated the benefits of group exercise to improve psychological health of women after delivery.
To evaluate the effect of a physical therapy exercise and health care education programme on the psychological well-being of new mothers, researchers identified 161 English-speaking women who were being discharged from the postnatal ward of a hospital in Australia were randomly assigned to an experimental Mother & Baby (M&B) programme or an education only (EO) group.
Once a week for 8 weeks the M&B group, comprising of 62 women, undertook 1 hour of exercise with their babies, facilitated by a woman therapist, combined with 30 minutes of parenting education delivered by health care professionals. Seventy-three women were assigned to the EO group and received only the same written educational materials. Twenty-six of the women did not receive either of the allocated interventions.
A significant improvement in well-being scores and depressive symptoms of the M&B group were found compared with the EO group over the study period. More specifically, there was a significant positive effect on well-being scores and depressive scores at 8 weeks, and this score was maintained 4 weeks after completion of the programme. The number of women identified as at risk for postnatal depression before the study were reduced by 50 per cent by the end of the intervention.
The study shows that regular exercise can reduce as the risk of postnatal depression.
Giving birth involves many changes in a woman's physical, emotional, and social health and this at times leads to postnatal depression. Previous studies have shown that general exercise improves mood states in younger and older women, improves well-being, and leads to a reduction in depressive symptoms in mothers diagnosed with postnatal depression. However, no studies have evaluated the benefits of group exercise to improve psychological health of women after delivery.
To evaluate the effect of a physical therapy exercise and health care education programme on the psychological well-being of new mothers, researchers identified 161 English-speaking women who were being discharged from the postnatal ward of a hospital in Australia were randomly assigned to an experimental Mother & Baby (M&B) programme or an education only (EO) group.
Once a week for 8 weeks the M&B group, comprising of 62 women, undertook 1 hour of exercise with their babies, facilitated by a woman therapist, combined with 30 minutes of parenting education delivered by health care professionals. Seventy-three women were assigned to the EO group and received only the same written educational materials. Twenty-six of the women did not receive either of the allocated interventions.
A significant improvement in well-being scores and depressive symptoms of the M&B group were found compared with the EO group over the study period. More specifically, there was a significant positive effect on well-being scores and depressive scores at 8 weeks, and this score was maintained 4 weeks after completion of the programme. The number of women identified as at risk for postnatal depression before the study were reduced by 50 per cent by the end of the intervention.
The study shows that regular exercise can reduce as the risk of postnatal depression.
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