Treatment
of depression during pregnancy by light
therapy
The
5% of pregnant women who meet criteria for major
depression cannot be treated by pharmacotherapy
because antidepressant use during pregnancy can
carry risk for the foetus and not approved.
Morning light therapy has been explored as a new
approach to treat antepartum depression.
For 3 to 5 weeks, 16 patients with major
depression were enrolled in an open trial of
morning bright light therapy for 1 hour after
awakening in an A-B-A design. Mood changes were
evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Rating
Scale, Seasonal Affective Disorders Version.
After 3 weeks of treatment, mean depression
ratings improved by 49%, and by 59% in the 7
patients who received treatment for 5 weeks. No
adverse effects were observed on pregnancy.
Even if the mechanism of action of light
therapy, possibly through a link with the
biological clock, is not completely elucidated,
this easy-to-use and potential non-toxic
antidepressant treatment in pregnancy represents
an interesting clinical alternative to
medication.
A randomized, controlled trial is necessary to
support the efficacy of morning light therapy in
depression during pregnancy. Am
J Psychiatry 159: 666-669, 2002