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Martínez-Borba V, Suso-Ribera C, Osma J. Current state and practical recommendations on reproductive mental health: a narrative review. Women Health 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38812266 DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2024.2360419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Emotional disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent during the reproductive period, including pregnancy, postpartum, and women undergoing fertility treatments. International guidelines are increasingly suggesting the need to evaluate, prevent, and treat EDs in those women. The main aim of this narrative review is to summarize current practice in the field of EDs management during fertility treatments, pregnancy, and the postpartum and to propose a new technology-based model of care that helps to provide psychological care to all women who are in these periods. Four different databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science) were consulted. Selected keywords were related with infertility, pregnancy, postpartum, EDs, assessment, prevention, treatment, and technologies. We identified 1603 studies and 43 were included in this review. According to these studies, different face-to-face protocols already exist to manage EDs in women undergoing fertility treatments, pregnant or at the postpartum. We noticed an increased interest in developing technology-based solutions to overcome the limitations of traditional mental healthcare services. However, we also detected some issues in the use of technologies (i.e. increased attention to the postpartum or the lack of transdiagnostic approaches). Our results evidenced that there is still a need to develop modern, well-designed, and conceptually-relevant ICT-based programs to be used in women undergoing fertility treatments, pregnant or at the postpartum.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Martínez-Borba
- Departament of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
- Health Research Institute of Aragon, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - C Suso-Ribera
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, Spain
| | - J Osma
- Departament of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain
- Health Research Institute of Aragon, Zaragoza, Spain
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Malouf R, Harrison S, Pilkington V, Opondo C, Gale C, Stein A, Franck LS, Alderdice F. Factors associated with posttraumatic stress and anxiety among the parents of babies admitted to neonatal care: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:352. [PMID: 38724899 PMCID: PMC11084127 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06383-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress (PTS) and anxiety are common mental health problems among parents of babies admitted to a neonatal unit (NNU). This review aimed to identify sociodemographic, pregnancy and birth, and psychological factors associated with PTS and anxiety in this population. METHOD Studies published up to December 2022 were retrieved by searching Medline, Embase, PsychoINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health electronic databases. The modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort and cross-sectional studies was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. This review was pre-registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021270526). RESULTS Forty-nine studies involving 8,447 parents were included; 18 studies examined factors for PTS, 24 for anxiety and 7 for both. Only one study of anxiety factors was deemed to be of good quality. Studies generally included a small sample size and were methodologically heterogeneous. Pooling of data was not feasible. Previous history of mental health problems (four studies) and parental perception of more severe infant illness (five studies) were associated with increased risk of PTS, and had the strongest evidence. Shorter gestational age (≤ 33 weeks) was associated with an increased risk of anxiety (three studies) and very low birth weight (< 1000g) was associated with an increased risk of both PTS and anxiety (one study). Stress related to the NNU environment was associated with both PTS (one study) and anxiety (two studies), and limited data suggested that early engagement in infant's care (one study), efficient parent-staff communication (one study), adequate social support (two studies) and positive coping mechanisms (one study) may be protective factors for both PTS and anxiety. Perinatal anxiety, depression and PTS were all highly comorbid conditions (as with the general population) and the existence of one mental health condition was a risk factor for others. CONCLUSION Heterogeneity limits the interpretation of findings. Until clearer evidence is available on which parents are most at risk, good communication with parents and universal screening of PTS and anxiety for all parents whose babies are admitted to NNU is needed to identify those parents who may benefit most from mental health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Malouf
- NIHR Policy Research Unit in Maternal and Neonatal Health and Care National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Sian Harrison
- NIHR Policy Research Unit in Maternal and Neonatal Health and Care National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Victoria Pilkington
- NIHR Policy Research Unit in Maternal and Neonatal Health and Care National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Charles Opondo
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chris Gale
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Neonatal Medicine, Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Campus, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Alan Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Honorary Professor, African Health Research Institute, Johannesburg, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
- African Health Research Institute, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Linda S Franck
- Department of Family Health Care Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Fiona Alderdice
- NIHR Policy Research Unit in Maternal and Neonatal Health and Care National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
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Stefana A, Cena L, Trainini A, Palumbo G, Gigantesco A, Mirabella F. The diagnostic accuracy of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale without the self-harm item: Does culture matter? J Psychiatr Res 2024; 175:432-434. [PMID: 38788304 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Stefana
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Loredana Cena
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alice Trainini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Gabriella Palumbo
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Gigantesco
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorino Mirabella
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
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Tartour AI, Chivese T, Eltayeb S, Elamin FM, Fthenou E, Seed Ahmed M, Babu GR. Prenatal psychological distress and 11β-HSD2 gene expression in human placentas: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107060. [PMID: 38677195 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta acts as a buffer to regulate the degree of fetal exposure to maternal cortisol through the 11-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase isoenzyme type 2 (11-β HSD2) enzyme. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of prenatal psychological distress (PPD) on placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression and explore the related mechanistic pathways involved in fetal neurodevelopment. METHODS We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, APA PsycInfo®, and ProQuest Dissertations for observational studies assessing the association between PPD and 11-β HSD2 expression in human placentas. Adjusted regression coefficients (β) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled based on three contextual PPD exposure groups: prenatal depression, anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. RESULTS Of 3159 retrieved records, sixteen longitudinal studies involving 1869 participants across seven countries were included. Overall, exposure to PPD disorders showed weak negative associations with the placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression as follows: prenatal depression (β -0.01, 95% CI 0.05-0.02, I2=0%), anxiety symptoms (β -0.02, 95% CI 0.06-0.01, I2=0%), and perceived stress (β -0.01 95% CI 0.06-0.04, I2=62.8%). Third-trimester PPD exposure was more frequently associated with lower placental 11-β HSD2 levels. PPD and placental 11-β HSD2 were associated with changes in cortisol reactivity and the development of adverse health outcomes in mothers and children. Female-offspring were more vulnerable to PPD exposures. CONCLUSION The study presents evidence of a modest role of prenatal psychological distress in regulating placental 11-β HSD2 gene expression. Future prospective cohorts utilizing larger sample sizes or advanced statistical methods to enhance the detection of small effect sizes should be planned. Additionally, controlling for key predictors such as the mother's ethnicity, trimester of PPD exposure, mode of delivery, and infant sex is crucial for valid exploration of PPD effects on fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angham Ibrahim Tartour
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Tawanda Chivese
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Safa Eltayeb
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Fatima M Elamin
- Office of Research Ethics and Integrity, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Eleni Fthenou
- Qatar Biobank for Medical Research, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohammed Seed Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - Giridhara Rathnaiah Babu
- Department of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box:2713, Doha, Qatar
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Mollons M, Levasseur-Puhach S, Kaur J, Doyle J, Giesbrecht G, Lebel CA, Woods L, Tomfohr-Madsen L, Roos L. Mixed-methods study exploring health service access and social support linkage to the mental well-being of Canadian Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078388. [PMID: 38553054 PMCID: PMC11005712 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore how the unprecedented stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to heightened levels of depression and anxiety among pregnant Indigenous persons, and identify protective individual-level factors. DESIGN The current study used a mixed-methods design including standardised questionnaires and open-ended response questions. Using hierarchical regression models, we examined the extent to which COVID-19-related factors of service disruption (ie, changes to prenatal care, changes to birth plans and social support) were associated with mental well-being. Further, through qualitative analyses of open-ended questions, we examined the coping strategies used by pregnant Indigenous persons in response to the pandemic. SETTING Participants responded to an online questionnaire consisting of standardised measures from 2020 to 2021. PARTICIPANTS The study included 336 self-identifying Indigenous pregnant persons in Canada. RESULTS Descriptive results revealed elevated rates of clinically relevant depression (52.7%) and anxiety (62.5%) symptoms among this population. 76.8% of participants reported prenatal care service disruptions, including appointment cancellations. Thematic analyses identified coping themes of staying informed, social and/or cultural connections and activities, and internal mental well-being strategies. Disruptions to services and decreased quality of prenatal care negatively impacted mental well-being of Indigenous pregnant persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Given the potential for mental well-being challenges to persist and long-term effects of perinatal distress, it is important to examine the quality of care that pregnant individuals receive. Service providers should advance policies and practices that promote relationship quality and health system engagement as key factors linked to well-being during the perinatal period for Indigenous persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Mollons
- Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Jasleen Kaur
- Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jennifer Doyle
- Educational and Counselling Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald Giesbrecht
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine A Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Province of Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen
- Educational and Counselling Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Leslie Roos
- Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- University of Manitoba Children's Hospital Research Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Stefana A, Langfus JA, Palumbo G, Cena L, Trainini A, Gigantesco A, Mirabella F. Comparing the factor structures and reliabilities of the EPDS and the PHQ-9 for screening antepartum and postpartum depression: a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Arch Womens Ment Health 2023; 26:659-668. [PMID: 37464191 PMCID: PMC10491522 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-023-01337-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate and compare the factor structure and reliability of EPDS and PHQ in antepartum and postpartum samples. Parallel analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted to determine the structure of both scales in the entire sample as well as in the antepartum and postpartum groups. McDonald's omega statistics examined the utility of treating items as a single scale versus multiple factors. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) was utilized to test the measurement invariance between the antepartum and postpartum groups. Two-factor models fit best for the EPDS in both the antepartum and postpartum groups; however, the most reliable score variance was attributable to a general factor for each scale. MCFA provided evidence of weak invariance across groups regarding factor loadings and partial invariance regarding item thresholds. PHQ-9 showed a two-factor model in the antepartum group; however, the same model did not fit well in the postpartum group. EPDS should be preferred to PHQ-9 for measuring depressive symptoms in peripartum populations. Both scales should be used as a single-factor scale. Caution is required when comparing the antepartum and postpartum scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Stefana
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Joshua A Langfus
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Gabriella Palumbo
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Loredana Cena
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alice Trainini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Antonella Gigantesco
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorino Mirabella
- Center for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
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Val A, Míguez MC. Prevalence of Antenatal Anxiety in European Women: A Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1098. [PMID: 36673854 PMCID: PMC9858852 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The presence of anxiety during pregnancy is associated with adverse consequences for both mothers and their babies. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of anxiety in European pregnant women in order to find out which countries have published the most studies in respect to the presence of anxiety during pregnancy, which countries are the most and least prevalent in terms of anxiety within pregnant women, and which are the most common tools used to assess anxiety during this stage. As such, a literature review was conducted regarding the studies that were published in the last twenty years in the PsycInfo, Medline, and SCOPUS databases. Thirty-eight studies were selected for the purposes of this review. The prevalence of anxiety in pregnancy and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) varies considerably between studies. The European countries that have carried out the most research on this issue are Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The most widely used assessment instrument is the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The lowest prevalence rate of anxiety, using the STAI-E, was found in Poland, 7.7%, and the highest was found in Italy, 36.5%. The prevalence of GAD ranges from 0.3% to 10.8%. This indicates that anxiety in pregnant women is a very relevant mental health problem. It is therefore important to detect and intervene early in order to promote the well-being of both mothers and children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. Carmen Míguez
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Cena L, Trainini A, Tralli N, Nodari LS, Iacona E, Ronconi L, Testoni I. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Perinatal Loss Experienced by the Parental Couple: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study in Italy. JMIR Res Protoc 2022; 11:e38866. [PMID: 36044641 PMCID: PMC9472504 DOI: 10.2196/38866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background At the beginning of 2020, mothers and fathers who experienced perinatal events (from conception to pregnancy and postpartum period) found themselves facing problems related to the emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated difficulties for health care centers in providing care. In the unexpected and negative event of perinatal loss (ie, miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death) more complications occurred. Perinatal loss is a painful and traumatic life experience that causes grief and can cause affective disorders in the parental couple—the baby dies and the couple’s plans for a family are abruptly interrupted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, limited access to perinatal bereavement care, due to the lockdown measures imposed on medical health care centers and the social distancing rules to prevent contagion, was an additional risk factor for parental mental health, such as facing a prolonged and complicated grief. Objective The main aims of this study are as follows: to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on mothers and fathers who experienced perinatal loss during the pandemic, comparing their perceptions; to evaluate their change over time between the first survey administration after bereavement and the second survey after 6 months; to examine the correlations between bereavement and anxiety, depression, couple satisfaction, spirituality, and sociodemographic variables; to investigate which psychosocial factors may negatively affect the mourning process; and to identify the potential predictors of the development of complicated grief. Methods This longitudinal observational multicenter study is structured according to a mixed methods design, with a quantitative and qualitative section. It will include a sample of parents (mothers and fathers) who experienced perinatal loss during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020. There are two phases—a baseline and a follow-up after 6 months. Results This protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Psychological Research, University of Padova, and by the Institutional Ethics Board of the Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy. We expect to collect data from 34 or more couples, as determined by our sample size calculation. Conclusions This study will contribute to the understanding of the psychological processes related to perinatal loss and bereavement care during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will provide information useful to prevent the risk of complicated grief and psychopathologies among bereaved parents and to promote perinatal mental health. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/38866
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Affiliation(s)
- Loredana Cena
- Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11 Brescia 25123, Brescia, IT
| | - Alice Trainini
- Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11 Brescia 25123, Brescia, IT
| | - Nella Tralli
- Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11 Brescia 25123, Brescia, IT
| | - Luisa Silvia Nodari
- Observatory of Perinatal Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, viale Europa 11 Brescia 25123, Brescia, IT
| | - Erika Iacona
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, IT
| | - Lucia Ronconi
- IT and Statistical Services, Multifunctional Centre of Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, IT
| | - Ines Testoni
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, IT
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The Efficacy of Digital Cognitive–Behavioral Interventions in Supporting the Psychological Adjustment and Sleep Quality of Pregnant Women with Sub-Clinical Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159549. [PMID: 35954901 PMCID: PMC9368246 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The present meta-analysis investigated the overall and differential efficacy of digital cognitive–behavioral therapies (CBTs) vs. third-generation CBTs deployed to pregnant women in reducing sub-clinical depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms while fostering sleep quality and quality of life. A PRISMA-guided systematic search was used, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the above-mentioned interventions. Data were pooled using either the mean difference (MD) or standardized MD (SMD). Sub-group analyses were carried out when appropriate. The primary outcomes were depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, as well as sleep quality and quality of life. The interventions’ acceptability was evaluated through the odds ratio (OR) of drop-out rates. Seven RCTs were included, comprising 1873 pregnant women. The results showed the interventions’ efficacy in terms of reducing depression symptoms (SMD = −0.36, CI = 0.61, −0.11, k = 9) at the endpoint, although it was not maintained at follow-up during the postpartum period. The interventions’ efficacy in terms of reducing anxiety symptoms (SMD = 1.96, CI = −2.72, −1.21, k = 3) at the endpoint was also significant, while having no effect on sleep quality. The interventions were well accepted (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 0.84, 3.35; k = 7). Although no sound conclusions can be drawn concerning the joint or differential efficacy of the considered interventions, this study was useful in highlighting the need to develop evidence-based digital prevention programs for pregnant women with sub-clinical symptoms.
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