Background <p>Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) remain undertreated despite their prevalence and consequences. Digital psychological interventions and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have been proposed as scalable or medication-sparing options. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of therapist-guided digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rTMS for perinatal depression and anxiety, with separate synthesis of efficacy and safety evidence.</p> Methods <p>We conducted a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review of six databases (PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, Embase) from inception to 01 October 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized trials, pilot studies, and case series were included. Case reports (<i>n</i> &lt; 5) were excluded from efficacy analyses but retained for safety data extraction. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2 and ROBINS-I. Narrative synthesis was necessitated by significant clinical and methodological heterogeneity; effect sizes are contextualized by baseline severity, comparator, and study quality.</p> Results <p>Twenty-nine studies (23 RCTs, 6 non-randomized) were included. Therapist-guided digital CBT demonstrated moderate-to-large effects on depressive symptoms (between-group Hedges’ g 0.5–1.4) in most, but not all, trials; certainty of evidence was moderate. Self-guided digital CBT yielded smaller, inconsistent effects (g = 0.2–0.6; low certainty). Digital mindfulness interventions showed pronounced heterogeneity: five guided, culturally adapted Eastern trials reported positive effects, while six unguided Western trials found no benefit (very low certainty). For rTMS, one small sham-controlled RCT (<i>n</i> = 26) provided very-low-certainty efficacy evidence. Uncontrolled studies (≈ 230 pregnancies) reported large pre-post improvements but are critically confounded and cannot establish efficacy. Safety data, while reassuring in the short term, derive from limited cumulative exposure (≈ 230 pregnancies); absence of observed harm is not equivalent to evidence of safety (low certainty).</p> Conclusions <p>Therapist-guided digital CBT is a well-supported intervention and should be integrated into perinatal care. Self-guided digital CBT and mindfulness apps have limited or uncertain evidence. rTMS remains experimental; large, definitive RCTs are urgently needed. Safety evidence for rTMS is insufficient to draw firm conclusions.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>

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Digital and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation interventions for perinatal depression and anxiety: a systematic review

  • Zahra Bostani Khalesi,
  • Mahmood Abedinzade,
  • Afshin Dalili

摘要

Background

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) remain undertreated despite their prevalence and consequences. Digital psychological interventions and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have been proposed as scalable or medication-sparing options. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of therapist-guided digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rTMS for perinatal depression and anxiety, with separate synthesis of efficacy and safety evidence.

Methods

We conducted a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review of six databases (PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, Embase) from inception to 01 October 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized trials, pilot studies, and case series were included. Case reports (n < 5) were excluded from efficacy analyses but retained for safety data extraction. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2 and ROBINS-I. Narrative synthesis was necessitated by significant clinical and methodological heterogeneity; effect sizes are contextualized by baseline severity, comparator, and study quality.

Results

Twenty-nine studies (23 RCTs, 6 non-randomized) were included. Therapist-guided digital CBT demonstrated moderate-to-large effects on depressive symptoms (between-group Hedges’ g 0.5–1.4) in most, but not all, trials; certainty of evidence was moderate. Self-guided digital CBT yielded smaller, inconsistent effects (g = 0.2–0.6; low certainty). Digital mindfulness interventions showed pronounced heterogeneity: five guided, culturally adapted Eastern trials reported positive effects, while six unguided Western trials found no benefit (very low certainty). For rTMS, one small sham-controlled RCT (n = 26) provided very-low-certainty efficacy evidence. Uncontrolled studies (≈ 230 pregnancies) reported large pre-post improvements but are critically confounded and cannot establish efficacy. Safety data, while reassuring in the short term, derive from limited cumulative exposure (≈ 230 pregnancies); absence of observed harm is not equivalent to evidence of safety (low certainty).

Conclusions

Therapist-guided digital CBT is a well-supported intervention and should be integrated into perinatal care. Self-guided digital CBT and mindfulness apps have limited or uncertain evidence. rTMS remains experimental; large, definitive RCTs are urgently needed. Safety evidence for rTMS is insufficient to draw firm conclusions.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.