The Effects of Regular Exercise Compared to Standard Care Alone on Postpartum Depression in Women: A Critically Appraised Topic

Childbirth can cause a variety of different emotions, joy to anxiety, excitement to fear and can also cause postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a depressive episode that begins in or extends into the postpartum period and is a major concern for new mothers.2 It affects approximately 10-16% of women annually and can be seen within the first few days after delivery and symptoms can last up to a year postdelivery.3,4 These symptoms can be triggered because of psychological, social, or biological stressors and all the hormonal changes in the body. Typically, postpartum depression is usually diagnosed within six weeks of giving birth. The main goal during this period is maintaining the well-being of the mother.5 The usual care treatment for postpartum depression includes antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapies, social support groups, psychoeducation training, and even yoga.6 But exercise can be an affordable, accessible treatment option that can help new mothers recover faster after giving birth. This critically appraised topic explores the effect of exercise on postpartum depression. Physical exercise is used medically to help treat or prevent a variety of chronic conditions. Some of the known benefits of physical exercise in postpartum women are reduction in body weight, mood and hormone regulation, and increased energy. Exercise plays a large part in psychological well-being, by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain.7 Because of this, physical exercise seems like a natural, affordable solution for helping women who suffer from postpartum depression. There has yet to be a compilation of research on how exercise improves postpartum depression versus standard care. The aim of this critically appraised topic is to help clinicians that work with postpartum mothers to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for postpartum depression.