title: Prevention of postpartum depression: a pilot randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors attempted to reduce the rate of postpartum depression in high-risk women and to increase the time to recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nondepressed pregnant women with at least one past episode of postpartum major depression were recruited into a randomized clinical trial. Mothers were assigned randomly to a 17-week trial of sertraline or placebo immediately after birth and assessed for 20 sequential weeks with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 14 subjects who took sertraline, one (7%) suffered a recurrence. Of eight subjects who were assigned to placebo, four (50%) suffered recurrences. This difference was significant. The time to recurrence was significantly longer in the sertraline-treated women than in the placebo-treated women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sertraline conferred preventive efficacy for postpartum-onset major depression beyond that of placebo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. WisnerKL@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wisner
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Perel
authors.forename: Kathleen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Peindl
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Hanusa
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Piontek
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Findling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline