Researchers studied whether a 5-week online therapy program could help pregnant women with depression. The program, called Internet-based Problem Management Plus (IPM+), involved weekly 1.5-hour sessions teaching practical coping skills. The study included 80 pregnant women with depression at one hospital in China. Half received the online program plus their usual care, while the other half received only their usual care.
Women who completed the online program showed greater improvement in depression symptoms immediately after the program and three months later. They also reported less anxiety and stress at both time points, and better sleep quality at the three-month follow-up. The study did not report any information about side effects or whether participants found the program difficult to complete.
This was a small study conducted at a single hospital, so we don't know if the results would apply to pregnant women in other settings. The researchers measured improvement using statistical calculations rather than reporting how many women actually felt better. While the online program appears promising, larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and understand how well it works in different healthcare systems.