Evidence in practice-number 7: Can postpartum depression be prevented?

Clinical question — is there any preventive treatment for postpartum depression in a lady with previous episodes?

This question was sent to us at the Centre for General Practice, University of Queensland, Australia. We were providing a literature search service in collaboration with the Department of Primary Health Care at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (funded through the NHS Northern and Yorkshire Regional Library Advisory Service), for GPs in the North of England, modelled on one run in Australia.1 GPs sent requests for answers to questions arising during clinical consultations. We then undertook a search for the best available published evidence, briefly interpreted it, and quickly (within days) returned the answer to the GP.

Our response to one of the questions received is presented. Under the Update section, we present relevant research published subsequent to the initial search.