Background:
Epidemiological studies assessing rates of postnatal depression in relation to levels of fish consumption and reduced levels of omega-3 in the perinatal period indicate a possible link between lowered long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and perinatal depression.
Aim:
To assess whether omega-3 fatty acid treatment is superior to placebo in the treatment of perinatal depression.
Methods:
In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled treatment trial, we recruited women from third trimester to 6 months postpartum with a diagnosis of major depression. Treatment was for 6 weeks with either 6 g of fish oil or placebo. Weekly follow-up was carried out by a psychiatrist and depression rating scales recorded. Fatty acid analysis was conducted on blood samples collected at baseline and posttreatment trial.
Results:
There was significant improvement in depression scores for the treatment group during the trial. However, a repeated-measures ANOVA showed no statistically significant difference between treatment and placebo groups using intention-to-treat analysis. Trend for efficacy differentiation were noted when nonresponders and rapid remitters were excluded.
Conclusions:
These results are likely to be affected by a strong placebo response, which is a common problem in clinical trials for the treatment of depression. Further study is needed in this area because treatment options are limited for perinatal depression.
