Effect of Perioperative Ketamine on Early Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Following Cesarean Section: A Meta-Analysis.
Cureus April 1, 2026 Samantha Siu, Peter Hsin, Sarah Simon et al.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found that perioperative ketamine or esketamine, given during elective cesarean section, significantly reduced early postpartum depressive symptoms measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale between postoperative days 3 and 14. The pooled effect showed a standardized mean difference of -0.36, with moderate heterogeneity. The direction of effect consistently favored ketamine over control. The findings suggest a potential benefit for reducing early postpartum depressive symptom burden, but further research is needed to determine optimal dosing, timing, and long-term clinical impact.