Acupuncture designed to treat depression appears to improve
symptoms in pregnant women, suggesting it as an alternative to
antidepressant medication during pregnancy, a study found. The
study, published Monday in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology,
is the largest to date examining the effectiveness of
acupuncture to treat depression in pregnant women. It was funded
by a grant from the government's Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality. "Acupuncture that we have tested works for
pregnant, depressed women," said Rachel Manber, a study author
and professor at Stanford University. However, "no single study
is enough to make policy recommendations," she said. Depression
in pregnancy is a risk factor for postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression is associated in some studies with poorer
cognitive and emotional development in children. Some have
linked depression in pregnancy and low birth weight. As many as
14% of pregnant women are thought to develop a significant
depression at some point during their pre