The Effect of Digital Mindfulness-based Interventions on Depressive Symptomatology in Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are an effective approach for addressing depressive symptoms in various population, including postpartum women. With the boom of the digital interventions, mounting evidence is emerging regarding the use of digital MBIs. Aims: To synthesize the available evidence regarding the effect of digital MBIs targeting depressive symptomatology during the postpartum period. Methods: A systematic search was performed across PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PsycINFO from inception to January, 2025. Studies involving postpartum women who received digital MBIs were included. The risk-of-bias was evaluated with ROB-2 and ROBINS-I. Results: Seven unique studies were included (four RCTs and three non-RCTs), involving 758 women. Studies and MBIs characteristics were synthetized. The overall risk-of-bias was high. Digital MBIs demonstrated to reduce depressive symptoms among postpartum women. However, only three studies reported statistically significant between-group differences. The heterogeneity of the studies precluded the quantitative aggregation of the primary data. Conclusion: The limited number of studies and their high risk-of-bias challenges the strength of the conclusions. As societies become increasingly comfortable with the use of the Internet formats for routine healthcare, opportunities for digital MBIs will continue to expand, highlighting the need for further research employing rigorous designs.