INTERVENTION OF THE PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Abstract

 Introduction. The biological, physiological, psycho-emotional and social-labor changes that rise during the pregnancy make the gestation a critical period for women, and it make provoke episodes of postpartum depression. A revision about the scientific evidence of the physiotherapist procedures have been made to deal with this clinical problem, searching bibliography on CSIC, ENFISPO and PubMed, and another resources. The used terminology includes postpartum depression and/or postnatal,  puerperium, physiotherapy, scale, maternity and legislation. Exposition of the subject. The postpartum or puerperium depression is a clinical problem that shows incidence values related to intrinsic or extrinsic factors, that must be answered by the health policy, because it implies not only women that suffer from it but their families, especially their children. Among the different scales to detect and quantify the puerperium depression, the Edimburh Postpartum De-pression Scale (EPDS) is shown as an easy tool, and the scientific community has accepted it very well. As in every diagnosed depression, the psychotherapy and the pharmacological treatment use to be the first applications. After searching another method, scientific evidence has been found about physiotherapeutic procedures on this pathology. Conclusions. Physiotherapy may help with several procedures of intervention such as: classes of maternal education, baby massages, massage therapy, breathing, progressive muscle relaxing, physical activity and another additional therapies to decrease the symptoms, the puerperium depression, that may appear in an important period of the mother's file: their baby´s care.