SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2021
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment for peripartum depression: systematic review & meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Perinatal Mood, Anxiety, and Related Disorders: Guide de pratique 2024 du Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments pour le traitement des troubles de l'humeur, des troubles anxieux et des troubles connexes périnatals.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2025Guideline
- Clinical application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a scoping review.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation (TPS) on Adults with Symptoms of Depression-A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Trial
- Maternal Neuroplasticity: Understanding Brain Changes with Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Women.Current psychiatry reports · 2026Review
- Advances in Perinatal Depression: A Focus on Screening and Treatment.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- First Reported Case of Dissociative Symptoms Associated With Zuranolone Use in Peripartum Depression.Cureus · 2026Article
- Navigating Therapies, Challenges, and Recommendations for Treatment-Resistant Peripartum Depression: A Comprehensive Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Consensus review and considerations on TMS to treat depression: A comprehensive update endorsed by the National Network of Depression Centers, the Clinical TMS Society, and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology.Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025Review
- Sertraline plus repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of postpartum depression.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2025Article
- Non-pharmacological Radical Methods for Treating Postpartum Depression Around the Globe: A Narrative Review.Cureus · 2024Review
- Perinatal Depression and the Role of Synaptic Plasticity in Its Pathogenesis and Treatment.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Effectiveness of non-pharmacological treatments for postpartum depression: an umbrella review protocol.BMJ open · 2023Article
- Antenatal depression and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in the Gida Ayana district, Oromia Region, West Ethiopia, in 2022.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Electric Stimulation during the Perinatal Period: A Systematic Literature Review and Three Case Reports.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPeripartum depression is a common disorder with very high potential hazards for both the patients and their babies. The typical treatment options include antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy. However, these treatments do not ensure the safety of the fetus. Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has emerged as a promising treatment for neuropathies as well as depression. Nevertheless, many studies excluded pregnant women. This systematic review was conducted to confirm whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was a suitable treatment option for peripartum depression.
methodsWe performed a systematic review that followed the PRISMA guidelines. We searched for studies in the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases published until the end of September 2020. Eleven studies were selected for the systematic review, and five studies were selected for quantitative synthesis. Data analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3 software. The effect size was analyzed using the standardized mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was determined by the generic inverse variance estimation method.
resultsThe therapeutic effect size of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depression was 1.394 (95% CI: 0.944-1.843), and the sensitivity analysis effect size was 1.074 (95% CI: 0.689-1.459), indicating a significant effect. The side effect size of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depression was 0.346 (95% CI: 0.214-0.506), a meaningful result. There were no severe side effects to the mothers or fetuses.
conclusionsFrom various perspectives, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can be considered an alternative treatment to treat peripartum depression to avoid exposure of fetuses to drugs and the severe side effects of electroconvulsive therapy. Further research is required to increase confidence in the results.
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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.