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Table 4 Longitudinal variation of EPDS score during pregnancy and postpartum between fish oil (EPA and DHA) and control groups

From: Omega-3 supplementation from pregnancy to postpartum to prevent depressive symptoms: a randomized placebo-controlled trial

 

EPDS score

Absolute change in EPDS score

 

T0

T1

T2

T3

Δ (T3 – T1)

Δ (T3 – T0)

Overall sample

Intention-to-treat

Control (n = 28)

10.5 (9.5–13.5)

8.5 (6.0–10.5)

7.0 (5.5–11.0)

6.0 (5.0–11.0)

−1.0 (−3.5–1.5)

−4.0 (−8.0–0.0)

Fish oil (n = 32)

10.0 (9.0–13.0)

9.0 (5.5–13.0)

6.5 (4.0–12.0)

6.5 (3.5–10.5)

−1.0 (−4.0–0.0)

−4.0 (−6.5–0.0)

p-value1

0.612

0.721

0.607

0.612

0.512

0.748

Per protocol

Control (n = 17)

11.0 (9.0–15.0)

8.0 (6.0–10.0)

7.0 (5.0–11.0)

6.0 (5.0–7.0)

−1.0 (−4.0–1.0)

−5.0 (−8.0 – −3.0)

Fish oil (n = 15)

11.0 (10.0–14.0)

11.0 (5.0–14.0)

10.0 (4.0–15.0)

8.0 (5.0–12.0)

−1.0 (−5.0–1.0)

−4.0 (−8.0–0.0)

p-value1

0.675

0.178

0.635

0.216

0.955

0.404

Women with previous history of depression

Intention-to-treat

Control (n = 17)

11.0 (10.0–15.0)

9.0 (5.0–12.0)

7.5 (5.5–11.0)

7.0 (5.0–14.0)

0.0 (−1.0–3.0)

−3 .0 (−8.0–0.0)

Fish oil (n = 16)

10.0 (7.0–12.5)

8.5 (5.5–13.5)

9.0 (5.0–15.0)

7.0 (3.0–11.0)

−1.0 (−3.0–0.0)

−1.0 (−6.0–0.0)

p-value1

0.318

0.527

0.709

0.322

0.038

0.201

Per protocol

Control (n = 10)

11.0 (8.0–15.0)

7.5 (5.0–12.0)

7.5 (5.0–11.0)

6.5 (5.0–12.0)

−0.5 (−2.0–2.0)

−4.5 (−8.0–0.0)

Fish oil (n = 8)

10.5 (10.0–15.0)

13.0 (6.0–14.5)

12.5 (5.0–15.5)

8.5 (6.5–12.0)

−1.5 (−4.0–0.5)

−4.5 (−7.0–1.0)

p-value1

0.893

0.117

0.303

0.421

0.264

0.561

  1. Evaluation was conducted at: T0 = 5–13 gestational weeks (cohort baseline); T1 = 22–24 gestational weeks (randomized clinical trial baseline); T2 = 30–32 gestational weeks; T3 = 4–6 weeks’ postpartum.
  2. Data are presented as median (interquartile range), 1p–value refers to Mann Whitney U test.
  3. EPDS Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid, DHA Docosahexaenoic acid.