Abstract
Rationale: The months following childbirth are a time when women are susceptible to depressive disorders, which may be severe and have long-lasting serious adverse consequences. The illnesses remain often unrecognized and untreated, and can be resistant to conventional psychiatric treatment methods. Objective: We report two patients with postpartum depression, who had low serum oestradiol together with psychiatric symptoms, and who responded successfully to treatment with oestradiol. Methods: The serum oestradiol concentration was measured at baseline and weekly during treatment with sublingual 17-β oestradiol for 8 weeks. The treatment effect was evaluated using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Results: Both patients had a low pretreatment oestradiol concentration (36–120 and 31 pmol/l). During treatment with oestradiol, the decline of depressive symptoms coincided with a rise in serum oestradiol. Conclusions: Oestradiol may be causally related to postpartum depression and have significance in the treatment of this condition.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 19 April 1999 / Final version: 3 June 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ahokas, A., Kaukoranta, J. & Aito, M. Effect of oestradiol on postpartum depression. Psychopharmacology 146, 108–110 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130051095
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130051095