Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30249416›Full record

Trial reportBrain stimulation

Randomized controlled trial of transcranial magnetic stimulation in pregnant women with major depressive disorder.

Deborah R Kim, Eileen Wang, Brendan McGeehan, Jessica Snell, Grace Ewing, Claudia Iannelli, John P O'Reardon, Mary D Sammel, C Neill Epperson

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Brain stimulation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07774559 (Treatment With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Peripartal Depression), which is not on this map. Cited by 21 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
8.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07774559 nanot yet recruitingnot on this map

Treatment With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Peripartal Depression

TypeinterventionalSponsorPsychiatric University Hospital, ZurichRan2026 to 2030Enrolled60ConditionsDepression During Pregnancy, Postpartum Depression (PPD), Peripartum DepressionArmsRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, Sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 81 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Rapid-Acting Treatments for Perinatal Depression: Clinical Landscapes and Future Horizons.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Perinatal mental health: a review of progress and challenges.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2020
    Article
  16. Review
  17. Postpartum Depression.Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing) · 2020
    Article
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Deborah R KimDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States. Electronic address: drkim@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
Eileen WangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
Brendan McGeehanDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
Jessica SnellDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
Grace EwingDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
Claudia IannelliDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
John P O'ReardonDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
Mary D SammelDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
C Neill EppersonDepartment of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19014, United States.
University of Pennsylvania · US

Funding

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Pregnant Women with Depressive DisorderK23MH092399 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI KIM, DEBORAH · 2011 to 2015
$886k
NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH092399
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) affects 10% of pregnancies. Because transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a nonmedication option, psychiatric patients who do not tolerate or prefer to avoid antidepressants are good candidates for TMS.

methodIn a randomized controlled trial of twenty-two women with MDD in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, subjects were randomized to active TMS (n=11) or sham TMS (n=11). This study took place at a single academic center. Subjects received 20 sessions of TMS to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 1 Hz as a single train of 900 pulses per session at 100% motor threshold. Estradiol and progesterone and were measured before session 1 and after session 20.

resultsResults demonstrated significantly decreased Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) scores for the active compared to the sham group (p=0.003). Response rates were 81.82% for the active and 45.45% for the sham coil (p=0.088). Remission rates were 27.27% for the active 18.18% for the sham coil (p=0.613). Late preterm birth (PTB) occurred in three women receiving active TMS. All other maternal and delivery outcomes were normal.

conclusionsRight-sided, low frequency TMS was effective in reducing depressive symptoms in this sample of pregnant women. There may be a possibility that TMS is associated with late PTB although a larger sample size would be needed for adequate power to detect a true difference between groups. This study demonstrated that TMS is low risk during pregnancy although larger trials would provide more information about the efficacy and safety of TMS in this population. This trial shows that an RCT of a biologic intervention in pregnant women with psychiatric illness can be conducted.

Indexed as

AdultFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMajor Depressive DisorderPrefrontal CortexPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsTranscranial Magnetic StimulationTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultDepressionMajor depressive disorderPerinatalPregnancyTranscranial magnetic stimulationWomen's Mental Health

Identifiers

PMID30249416
PMCPMC6301099
OpenAlexW2890623599

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.