Subjective Health Perception Moderates the Antidepressant Effects of Home-Based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Perinatal Women: A Real-World Observational Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Perinatal depression often remains undertreated due to concerns about antidepressant exposure during fertility treatment, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Non-pharmacological, home-based interventions such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) present a promising alternative; however, real-world evidence in perinatal populations remains limited.

Methods

This prospective observational study included 38 women who received infertility, pregnancy, or postpartum treatment at four hospitals in South Korea. Participants self-administered anodal tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20-28 sessions over 4 weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at baseline and weeks 2, 4, and 8

SUBMITTER: Jung S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12835638 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature