Labor epidural analgesia and the risk of postpartum depression: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2020

Publication Title

Journal of clinical anesthesia

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically review the literature to evaluate the association between labor epidural analgesia (LEA) and postpartum depression (PPD).

DESIGN: Meta-analysis.

SETTING: Obstetric patients delivering vaginally with or without LEA in a hospital.

INTERVENTIONS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of providing LEA on developing PPD.

MEASUREMENTS: Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the random effects model.

RESULTS: A total of 356 full text articles were reviewed. Eleven articles studying 85,928 patients met inclusion criteria. The pooled unadjusted OR 1.03 and 95% CI (0.77, 1.37) suggest that LEA is not associated with a decreased risk of developing PPD.

CONCLUSIONS: Labor epidural analgesia was not shown to confer protection against developing PPD according to this meta-analysis. Future studies are needed to explore whether other aspects of LEA, beyond its presence or absence, influence the onset of PPD.

Volume

61

First Page

109658

Last Page

109658

DOI

10.1016/j.jclinane.2019.109658

ISSN

1873-4529

PubMed ID

31784304

Link to Full Text

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