Table 4 Help-seeking: intentions, preferred sources and treatment

Ayres 2019 [26]

36.2%

Azale 2016 [27]

Perceived need for treatment:71.6%

*Informal: husband (61.3%);

Formal: general health professional (any) (12.7%)

Modern medicine (49.8%)

Barrera 2015 [28]

* Informal: partners (82.5%); family members (75.5%);

Formal: health providers (49.4%)

Bina 2014 [29]

*Professional help users (24%): mental health professional (71%)

Informal help users (62.5%): family and friends (approx. 50%)

Buist 2005 [32]

*Informal: family (50%);

Formal: GP (29.2%)

Branquinho 2020 [31]

Help-seeking propensity:

M = 3.19; SD = 0.61^b

DaCosta 2018 [33]

*All women: family doctor/general practitioner (9.7%)

Women EPDS> = 10: family doctor/general practitioner (19.2%)

Dunford 2017 [34]

Help-seeking propensity: M = 21.46; SD = 6.29^b

Fonseca 2015 [35]

Willingness to seek professional help for psychological problems: 38.4%

Fonseca 2017 [36]

Intention to seek professional help: M = 4.48; SD = 1.60^d

Fonseca 2018 [37]

Intention to seek professional help: M = 4.48; SD = 1.59^d

Goodman 2009 [39]

Obstetric practitioner or mental health practitioner at obstetrics clinic (69.4%)

Individual psychotherapy (72.5%)

Goodman 2013 [40]

Interested in professional mental health services: 78.3%

PPD prevention: mindfulness approach (MBCT) (47.46%)

Henshaw 2013 [41]

Informal: friend or family member (83.3%);

Formal: counsellor/psychologist (58.3%)

Highet 2011 [18]

Full sample:

Informal: friends and family (32%); Formal: doctor (52%);

Family / friends (male: 21,1; female: 43,1); GP (male: 32%; female: 21%)

Holt 2017 [42]

*GP (69.6%); psychologist/counsellor (52.2%)^f

Kingston 2014a [44]

Informal: partner (17.7%);

Formal: family doctor (38.9%)

Talking to doctor or midwife (81.6%); counselling (79.8%); peer support (73.2%); parenting help (70.3%); diet/ nutritional supplements (63.2%); phone support (52.9%)

Logsdon 2018a [45]

M = 3.8; SD = 1.2^e

First inclination: psychological treatment (73.9%)

Logsdon 2018b [46]

Baseline CG:11.5%; Baseline IG:11.9%

Mirsalimi 2020 [47]

Informal: friends / family members (27.2%);

Formal: psychologist (42.1%)

O’Mahen 2008 [48]

Mental health specialist (85.1%); primary care physician (68.8%); obstetrician (62.5%); pastor (60.5%)

Family/friend support (89.6%); therapy (76.4%); antidepressant; (68.7%); case management (62.5%)

Patel 2011 [50]

Combination of medication and counselling (55%)

Prevatt 2018 [51]

OB-Gyn (53.4%)

Ride 2016 [52]

77%

Pregnant women: individual counselling; Breastfeading women: Meditation; Yoga or Exersice;

Non-breastfeeding women: combinded counselling and Medication.

Individual counselling was consistently the highest ranked guideline-recommended treatment.^g

Sleath 2005 [53]

Wait and get over it naturally (83.6%); counseling from a mental health professional (57.6%)^h

Small 1994 [54]

* Informal: friends (70%); partner (66.7%);

Formal: GP (65%), maternal and child health nurse (55%)

Smith 2019 [55]

Women who would not seek help for PPD: 3.8%

Informal: family/friends (male: 19%; female: 53%);

Formal: doctor (male: 43.3%; female: 50.7%)

Thorsteinsson 2014 [56]

Informal: family (70%); friends (68%); Formal: GP (96%); counsellor (86%); community health nurse (75%); telephone counselling service (71%); social worker (60%); internet (54%); psychiatrist (53%)

Family support (88%); support group (85%); counselling/psychotherapy; (81%); relaxation/time to self (76%); sleep (74%), exercise (74%); antidepressant medication (56%); improved diet (51%)

Thorsteinsson 2018 [57]

Help-seeking propensity (averaged across groups):

M = 2.92; SD = 1.73^c

Wenze 2018 [58]

47.8% interested in mental health treatment in the perinatal period (for stress: 32.1%; for depression: 18.8%; for anxiety: 21.9%)

Preference Ranking: 1. Individual therapy (47.9%)

Zittel-Palamara 2008 [59]

OB/Gyn (73.3%); psychiatrist (73.3%); psychologist (71.1%); primary care physician (71.1%); social workers (66.7%); paediatricians (60%); midwives (57.8%); spiritual assistance (64.4%)

Individual counselling (84.4%); medication (73.3%); In-person support group (73.3%); hospital inpatient (68.9%); online support group (66.7%)