Effectiveness of psychological intervention for treating symptoms of anxiety and depression among pregnant women diagnosed with fetal malformation

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a psychological intervention targeting pregnant women with fetal malformation.

Methods: A clinical study was conducted that enrolled 65 pregnant women attending Clinics Hospital at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil, between February 2004 and May 2008. Participants were allocated to 1 of 4 groups: normal pregnancy (NP), fetal malformation (FM), fetal or neonatal death (FD), and control (CG). Psychological intervention-including support, empathy, education, and desensitization-was provided to the NP, FM, and FD groups. Women in CG did not receive the intervention and were assessed in the postnatal period only. Anxiety was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Depression was measured by HAD and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Results: Significant reductions from baseline were observed in anxiety and depression scores after psychological intervention in the NP and FM groups. Symptom scores in the postnatal period were also significantly reduced among these groups (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Psychological intervention was effective in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression experienced by pregnant women with fetal malformation.