Light Therapy in Pregnancy
Light therapy may improve depression during pregnancy, according to a new study in Switzerland. The findings are promising for doctors who have been hesitant to treat pregnant women with antidepressants out of fear that the drugs might harm the baby. Others worry that untreated depression during pregnancy could also lead to birth complications.
According to the study authors, about one in 10 pregnant women are depressed, which puts them at a higher risk of preterm delivery and having a baby with a low birthweight. Women in the study were told to sit under a bright fluorescent light for an hour each day, starting within a few minutes of waking up. The study lasted for 5 weeks, and at the end of that time a majority of the women being treated had seen at least a 50% improvement in their symptoms, with no side effects.