Journal of affective disorders
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Antidepressant use in pregnancy is associated with high levels of decision-making difficulty for patients, and psychotherapy may not be effective for severe symptoms. Alternative treatment options are needed. We conducted a systematic review of the clinical effects and tolerability of non-invasive neurostimulation: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS), and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) for the treatment of antenatal depression. ⋯ Non-invasive neurostimulation holds promise as a potentially effective and feasible alternative treatment for antenatal depression. Strategies to enhance recruitment of pregnant women into non-invasive neurostimulation trials that have longitudinal follow-up are needed.