ReviewCureus2026
Effect of Perioperative Ketamine on Early Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Following Cesarean Section: A Meta-Analysis.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common condition associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Higher rates have been observed following cesarean delivery, prompting interest in perioperative preventive strategies. Ketamine has demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects and may provide psychiatric benefits beyond analgesia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating perioperative ketamine or esketamine for early postpartum depressive symptom reduction in adults undergoing elective cesarean section. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and PsycINFO were searched for studies published between January 2015 and September 2025. Eligible studies reported Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores between postoperative days 3 and 14. A random-effects model was used to pool standardized mean differences (SMDs), with heterogeneity assessed using the I² statistic. Six randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Perioperative ketamine or esketamine was associated with a significant reduction in early postpartum depressive symptoms compared with control (SMD = -0.36; 95% CI -0.49 to -0.22). Moderate heterogeneity was observed (I² = 47.5%), with a consistent direction of effect favoring ketamine. These findings suggest that perioperative ketamine may reduce early postpartum depressive symptom burden, though further studies are needed to clarify optimal dosing, timing, and long-term clinical impact.
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Registered trials
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