Abstract
Perinatal depression (PND) is a severe complication of pregnancy, affecting both mothers and newborns. Bright light therapy (BLT) has only been tested in a few studies for treating either antenatal or postnatal depression. We conducted a pilot trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of BLT for PND occurring at any time across the perinatal period. A single-blind RCT was carried out in women with an EPDS >12 from the 2nd gestational trimester until 9months postpartum. Participants received either 30-minutes morning BLT (10'000 lux) or dim red light (DRL, 19 lux) for 6 weeks. Twenty-two women were randomised to BLT (n= 11) or DRL (n= 11). Among those receiving BLT, 73% achieved remission (improvement ≥50%, EPDS score ≤ 12), in contrast to 27% in the DRL group (p= 0.04). A significant influence of time on EPDS score and group-time interaction emerged, with a greater reduction in the BLT-group across the follow-up period. No women in either group reported major side effects. Morning BLT induced a significant remission from PND as compared to DRL and this effect was maintained across the perinatal period. BLT showed an excellent safety profile and was well-tolerated, thus representing a valid therapeutic strategy in this vulnerable perinatal population.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
