Effectiveness of self-empowerment-affirmation-relaxation(Self-EAR) program for postpartum blues mothers: A randomize controlled trial

Background and Objecvites: Approximately 55-85% of women worldwide have experienced postpartum blues (PPB) during 6-9 weeks after delivery without receiving the counseling program; more than 20% of them have developed into postpartum depression. Study objectives were to evaluate the effect of the SelfEAR program to improve the postpartum blues scores and serum allopregnanolone level among newly blues mothers.

Methods: During June 2015 to May 2016, the randomized controlled trial was conducted among 76 Nulliparous blues mothers who were screened with Stein’s postpartum blues scores ≥ 3. All participants were randomly assigned either to the intervention group (Self-EAR program) and the control group (standard postpartum care program). The Self-EAR program was transformed into audio files which were installed in an MP3 digital device before providing it to the intervention group in order to be implemented at home three times per day for four weeks. Participants were assessed at baseline, 1-month, 2-month and 3-month follow-up for serum allopregnanolone level. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistic, chi-square test, t-test, and repeated measure analysis of variance.

Result: After the 3-month follow-up, the results revealed positive effects of the Self-EAR program on postpartum blues scores (p-value=0.002) and serum allopregnanolone concertation (pvalue=0.001). The participants in the intervention group had experienced significantly lower postpartum blues scores; on the other hand, they had significantly higher serum allopregnanolone level when compared with the control group.

Conclusions: The findings suggested that the Self-EAR program was effective to improve postpartum blues scores and allopregnanolone level among newly postpartum blues mothers.