ABSTRACT

This systematic review examines the efficacy of non-medical interventions, yoga, social support groups, and kangaroo care, on women who experience Postpartum Depression(PPD) to determine the utility for use in occupational therapy intervention. Benefits of these non-medical interventions included decreased depressive symptoms and improved mood postpartum. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to understand the benefits of non-medical interventions for perinatal clients. Search engines included CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Scopus. Initial searches yielded 110 articles based on specified search terms. After screening with inclusion and exclusion criteria, 13 articles were selected. Strong evidence supports the use of yoga in reducing symptoms of PPD. Moderate evidence supports the use of social support groups and kangaroo care as effective interventions in reducing PPD symptoms.