Telehealth to Address Perinatal Depression

The debilitating sadness and anxiety of perinatal depression can strike during pregnancy or emerge in the weeks or months that follow. The condition, which affects up to 20 percent of pregnant women, can make even routine tasks and self-care a challenge, not to mention caring for an infant. Treatment with medication or psychotherapy usually helps, but most people with perinatal depression never receive the care they need. Connecting with doctors and therapists can be particularly difficult when clinics are far away, as is often the case in rural areas. Recognizing how hard it can be for pregnant women and new moms to fit therapy into their lives, Gwen Latendresse, PhD, the College of Nursing's Associate Director for Academic Programs, developed a way to bring therapy to them. Participants connect via videoconference once a week for an hour-long mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy session. They evaluated the program in a study of 47 women who were experiencing or at high risk for perinatal depression and found that women welcomed the flexibility on-line therapy offered. After eight sessions, women at risk for perinatal depression remained stable, and those who began the program with depression showed an improvement in their symptoms. With these promising results, Latendresse is optimistic that telehealth can bring effective mental health support to all patients, regardless of who they are.