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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Just a few counselling sessions can hold postpartum depression at bay

Even talking to a non-specialist during pregnancy was enough to reduce the risk of depression and anxiety after birth.
A mother with a child takes a selfie after attending Friday prayers at the Faisal mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Women in Pakistan were less likely to experience postpartum depression if they took part in cognitive behaviour therapy while pregnant. Credit: Saiyna Bashir/Reuters

One-on-one therapy sessions during pregnancy can drastically reduce the odds of developing postpartum depression or serious anxiety, a study involving 755 women in Pakistan has found1.

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Nature 626, 931 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00512-y

References

  1. Surkan, P. J. et al. Nature Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02809-x (2024).

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