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Feasibility of Providing Culturally Relevant, Brief Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Antenatal Depression in an Obstetrics Clinic: A Pilot Study

Sarah E. Bledsoe

University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work

Holly A. Swartz

Ellen Frank

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic

Objective: To minimize barriers to care, ameliorate antenatal depression, and prevent postpartum depression, we conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of providing brief interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-B) to depressed, pregnant patients on low incomes in an obstetrics and gynecological (OB/GYN) clinic. Method: Twelve pregnant, depressed women were recruited as a convenience sample from the clinic and were offered a pretreatment engagement interview and eight sessions of IPT-B, followed by monthly maintenance IPT sessions up to 6-months postpartum. Results: Nine of these 12 patients (75%) completed eight sessions of IPT-B. Paired t tests showed that completers of IPT-B displayed significant improvement at posttreatment and 6-months postpartum on three measures of depression, a measure of anxiety, and some aspects of social functioning. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that providing depression screening and treatment to this sample in an OB/GYN clinic was feasible and accompanied by high rates of clinical and functional improvement.

Key Words: perinatal depression • interpersonal psychotherapy

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				S. E. Bledsoe and N. K. Grote Treating Depression During Pregnancy and the Postpartum: A Preliminary Meta-Analysis Research on Social Work Practice, March 1, 2006; 16(2): 109 - 120. [Abstract] [PDF]