Since 2011, depression rates have steadily risen, and the COVID-19 pandemic further increased stress and unmet mental health needs. Many people have turned to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies—bright-light therapy, yoga, meditation, and supplements such as St. John's wort or folic acid. However, the reliability of evidence for these therapies remains low, with few randomized controlled trials and poor methodology in many available trials. This state-of-the-science review examines current published guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and RCTs on CAM therapies for depression.
A brief group telehealth mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention called Center M, adapted from a longer program for perinatal depression, showed preliminary feasibility and acceptability among 99 pregnant people. Depressive symptoms decreased from before to after the four weekly sessions, and mindfulness capacity increased from before the intervention to six weeks postpartum. Higher mindfulness at six weeks postpartum predicted fewer depressive symptoms at that time point, and reduced maladaptive emotion regulation was linked to lower depression. Qualitative feedback indicated high satisfaction. The authors suggest Center M may be effective but note that further research is needed to confirm these findings and address implementation.
Some women experience a dissociated, out-of-body experience (OBE) during childbirth, such as seeing their body from above or floating above it. This review synthesizes narratives from women who had intrapartum OBEs, identifying three forms: floating above the scene, remaining close to it, or full separation of a body part. Women had clear recall of these experiences. OBEs occurred in the presence of stress or trauma, often linked to current or previous traumatic childbirth or non-birth trauma. It is not clear whether a connection exists between posttraumatic stress disorder and OBEs. OBEs may serve as a coping mechanism. Clinicians should legitimize women's disclosure and explore the impact.