The Effect of Telecounseling on Depression in Primiparous Mothers During the Postpartum Period: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Postpartum depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in women after giving birth. This study was conducted to examine the effect of telecounseling support on depression in primiparous mothers. This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial with a parallel group pretest-posttest design. The study comprised 50 participants each in the intervention and control groups. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with all participants, and the Maternal Information Form and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were administered. The intervention group received telecounseling for 6 weeks, while the control group received routine postnatal care. After the 6-week period, EPDS was re-administered to both groups. In the intervention group, the EPDS mean score decreased from 7.12 +/- 3.96 to 6.34 +/- 3.73 after telecounseling (p < 0.001). Conversely, in the control group, the EPDS mean score increased from 6.62 +/- 3.55 to 7.90 +/- 4.65 without any intervention (p = 0.002). The results indicate that telecounseling is an effective method for reducing the risk of depression among mothers during the postpartum period. It is recommended that healthcare professionals extend their support by providing telecounseling for mothers.