The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in pregnant women at risk for postpartum

Abstract Postpartum depression has a high prevalence of mental disorders among mothers, but in its treatment, little effort has been made with cognitive-behavioral approaches. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive therapy. Behavior in pregnant women was at risk for postpartum depression. The research method of this research is quasi-experimental with a control group. Pregnant women without a diagnosis of depression participated in this study, which was divided into two groups: the group at risk of depression (CBT) and a control group (without treatment). Preventive treatment consisted of six CBT sessions held weekly. The Impact Assessment Questionnaire (QQ-45) was used in all sessions. Beck International Depression Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were used based on three situations. Final statistical analyzes were performed using Poisson regression. The results showed that the prevalence of postpartum depression was 5.5% in the at-risk group and 2.2% in the control group without any difference between the groups (PR 1.66 95% CI 0.44-6.18). Mean QQ-45s gradually decreased during treatment sessions, indicating therapeutic progress. One factor training was related to both the symptoms of postpartum depression and the effectiveness of treatment. The use of short-term cognitive-behavioral therapy by mental health professionals is effective in preventing the symptoms of postpartum depression.Keywords: Cognitive-behavioral therapy, Postpartum depression, Pregnancy