Electroacupuncture appears to be safe and improves overall response rates but is not superior to placebo in reducing depression scores in postpartum depression patients.
The study incorporated a systematic review of relevant randomized controlled trials from a range of electronic databases up until November 2023. The evaluation measured the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture in treating postpartum depression using methods including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores, adverse events, and overall response rates, while also taking into account publication bias and heterogeneity. A total of 12 trials involving 1364 participants were put to analysis.
A comprehensive meta-analysis revealed that while electroacupuncture did not significantly succeed in reducing depression scores when compared to sham electroacupuncture, it showed noteworthy responses in overall response rates. The study found that electroacupuncture resulted in favourable results when compared to the placebo and sham electroacupuncture groups. Additionally, the occurrence of adverse events was found to be lesser, contributing to the safety profile of electroacupuncture in the management of postpartum depression.
