A review of eight randomized controlled trials examined whether ketamine given during or after cesarean section can reduce postpartum depression. Some trials found that women who received ketamine had lower scores on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale shortly after delivery—for example, one trial reported a significantly lower score on day 4—while two other trials found no significant difference at 3 days postpartum. The review suggests that ketamine may help prevent or lessen postpartum depression symptoms after cesarean section, but more research is needed to clarify the relationship between dosage and effect.
A review of eight randomized controlled trials examined whether ketamine given during cesarean section can reduce postpartum depression. The evidence suggests ketamine may help prevent or lessen postpartum depression symptoms after C-section, though some studies found no significant effects. More research is needed to determine optimal dosing and to clarify the causal relationship between ketamine and postpartum depression in this context.