Can counseling prevent or treat postpartum depression?

Abstract

In most cases, counseling does not prevent postpartum depression (PPD), though it can treat the disorder. Overall, psychosocial interventions don't offer a significantly greater benefit than standard care in preventing PPD—although studies do suggest a preventive benefit when the intervention is administered postnatally, in the home, and targeted toward individual at-risk women (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, meta-analysis of 15 randomized, controlled trials [RCTs] and 1 subsequent RCT).