The Effects of Ibuprofen Consumption on the Incidence of Postpartum Depression. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVES: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common and debilitating psychiatric condition whose etiology is yet to be fully elucidated. Anti-inflammatory medications have been shown to be effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder but there have only been a few trials examining whether anti-inflammatory medications can serve as effective prophylactic agents against the development of major depressive disorder. Prophylaxis against PPD with anti-inflammatory agents has never been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective observational trial examining whether consumption of higher doses of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen is associated with a lower incidence of PPD. We recruited high-risk women and collected data on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System pain scale and clinical assessment of PPD at postpartum weeks 0, 3, and 6. Subjects were instructed to keep a log of medication consumed. RESULTS: When looking at the total sample, we found that higher consumption of ibuprofen was associated with lower incidence of PPD, although this result was nonsignificant (P = 0.26). When we stratified by concurrent psychotropic medication, we found that among women not taking psychotropic medications, higher consumption of ibuprofen at week 3 was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of having PPD at week 3 (P = 0.03). DISCUSSION: We found that ibuprofen consumption was significantly associated with a reduced risk of development of PPD at week 3 among high-risk women not taking psychotropic medications.

publication date

  • July 1, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Depression, Postpartum
  • Depressive Disorder, Major

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85111604563

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1214

PubMed ID

  • 33811197

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 44

issue

  • 4