SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2023
App-based interventions for the prevention of postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The effectiveness of mobile app-based interventions to improve parental mental health: a meta-analysis.BMC psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Proactive approaches to preventing postpartum depression in non-depressive pregnant women: a comprehensive scoping review.Frontiers in global women's health · 2025Pooled it
- Long-term effects of mHealth consultation services on postpartum depressive symptoms and the mediating role of loneliness: A follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial.Psychological medicine · 2025Trial
- Experiences of a postpartum depression prevention programme in a circumpolar setting: insights from pregnant women and healthcare providers.International journal of circumpolar health · 2026Article
- Determining the usage preferences and expectations of postpartum women regarding mobile applications developed for the postpartum period.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Review
- Summary of current evidence for digital health interventions in the screening and management of postpartum depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Prevalence and Trajectories of Perinatal Anxiety and Depression in a Large Urban Medical Center.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Acceptability and efficacy of a smartphone application intervention for mental health care based on interpersonal psychotherapy for improving depression symptoms in prenatal women: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Internet interventions · 2025Article
- From Idea to Implementation: Development of the Smart-e-Moms App to Reduce Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde · 2025Article
- Content, Behaviour Change Techniques, and Quality of Postpartum Depression Apps to Be Recommended by Midwives: Systematic Search and Evaluation.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2024Article
- Article
- Article
- Dietary supplement for mood symptoms in early postpartum: a double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial.EClinicalMedicine · 2024Article
- Exploring Asian maternal experiences and mHealth needs for postpartum mental health care.Digital healthArticle
- Preventing recurrence of postpartum depression by regulating sleep.Expert review of neurotherapeuticsReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study explored whether psychosocial intervention applications (apps) are effective in preventing postpartum depression.
methodsWe conducted an initial article search on 26 March 2020, and the updated search on 17 March 2023 on the electronic databases of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE via Ovid, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. Furthermore, we searched the International Clinical Trials Platform Search Portal (ICTRP), and Clinical Trials.
resultsWe identified 2515 references, and sixteen studies were ultimately included in this review. We conducted a meta-analysis of two studies on the onset of postpartum depression. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.62 to 1.04; P = 0.570). We performed a meta-analysis of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The intervention group had significantly lower EPDS scores than the control group (mean difference -0.96; 95% CI -1.44 to -0.48; P < 0.001, I2 = 82%, Chi
conclusionThis study presents the results of current RCTs on interventions with apps, including an app with an automated psychosocial component for preventing postpartum depression that has been conducted. These apps improved the EPDS score; furthermore, they may prevent postpartum depression.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.