Efficacy of the "7mind"-app as intervention to prevent postpartum depression in a low-risk sample group.
Archives of gynecology and obstetrics December 1, 2024 Laura Hahn, Marilena Thomann, Eva-Maria Dreyer et al. 1 citation
A mindfulness app called "7mind" was tested for preventing postpartum depression (PPD) in 145 women who gave birth between March and September 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighty women used the app; the rest formed a control group. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The BSF showed significant improvements in anxiety and fatigue over time for app users. However, EPDS scores did not differ significantly between groups; the sample was low-risk, with average EPDS scores of 7.6 before and 7.4 after birth. COVID-19-related fears increased in the control group but not among app users, suggesting the app benefits general and COVID-related anxiety but requires more research for PPD prevention.