Student: Alyssa Miller
Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh
Postpartum depression is a devastating condition affecting many women across the globe, yet it remains a taboo topic in today’s society that is poorly understood, lacking attention amongst researchers. The purpose of this literature review is to examine different interventions in the treatment of postpartum depression, namely physical activity-based interventions and pharmacological interventions. This review includes three meta-analyses and one randomized control trial analyzing these interventions and seeks to explore their efficacy in producing positive outcomes for patients experiencing postpartum depression. The analysis reveals that both exercise and pharmacological methods show improvement in the treatment of depressive symptoms. This research provides valuable insight into the treatment of postpartum depression, an important condition to resolve for the well-being of both mother and child. The postpartum period marks the beginning of the maternal-infant bond, and this relationship is vital in the growth and development of the infant in addition to infant safety.
Keywords: postpartum depression, exercise, physical activity, pharmacological intervention