Abstract summary 

Perinatal depression has been shown to have deleterious effects on maternal post-partum functioning, as well as early child development. However, few studies have documented whether depression care helps to mitigate these effects. We examined the effects of the M-DEPTH (Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV) depression care model (including antidepressants and individual Problem Solving Therapy) on maternal functioning and infant development in the first 6 months post-delivery in an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial of 391 HIV-infected women with at least mild depressive symptoms enrolled across eight antenatal care clinics in Uganda. A subsample of 354 (177 in each of the intervention and control groups) had a live birth delivery and comprised the analytic sample, of whom 69% had clinical depression at enrollment; 70% of women in the intervention group (including 96% of those with clinical depression) received depression treatment. Repeated-measures multivariable regression models found that the intervention group reported better infant care, lower parental burden, and greater perceived adequacy of parental support, compared to the control group. These findings suggest that depression care for pregnant women living with HIV is important not only for maternal mental health, but it also helps women to better manage parenting and care for their infant.

Authors & Co-authors:  Wagner Glenn J GJ Ghosh-Dastidar Bonnie B Faherty Laura L Beyeza-Kashesya Jolly J Nakku Juliet J Nabitaka Linda Kisaakye LK Akena Dickens D Nakigudde Janet J Ngo Victoria V McBain Ryan R Lukwata Hafsa H Gwokyalya Violet V Mukasa Barbara B Wanyenze Rhoda K RK

Study Outcome 

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