Publication in an international medical journal of a joint research project between the City of Yokohama and the University of Tokyo that provided "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online
- The following is content from the press release -
(Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Naoya Hashimoto) participated in the Yokohama City "Outcome-Linked Commissioning of Online Health Consultation Model Project in FY2040 and 2003" (hereafter, the Project), which provided "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online," and the results were published in an academic paper on June 26, 2023. The article was published as an academic paper on June 26, 2023. The article was published in BMC Medicine, an international medical journal.
Article
Arakawa Y, et al. Effectiveness of mHealth consultation services for preventing postpartum depressive symptoms: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Med. 2023 Jun 26;21(1):221.
[Point] What we would like to convey in this press release
The results of a project conducted with Yokohama City through the provision of "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" were published in an international medical journal as an academic article.
○Effectiveness of providing online medical consultation from the first trimester of pregnancy was evaluated in reducing the number of people at high risk of postpartum depression at 3 months postpartum.
Study Summary - Relative risk reduction of postpartum depression by approximately 33%.
Main Outcome Indicators (Main Outcome)
Reduction in high risk of postpartum depression at 3 months postpartum
Evaluation Method
Objective academic evaluation in the form of a "randomized controlled trial" by researchers at the University of Tokyo, a national university corporation
Assessment used to determine high risk of postpartum depression
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), which is the most frequently used scale in Japan and abroad, is used.
In the *EPDS, a person is considered to be at "high risk for postpartum depression" if the total score is 9 or higher.
About the Participants of this Project
Pregnant women living in Yokohama were recruited to participate in the project and randomly assigned to the intervention group (with the "Obstetrics & Gynecology Online" service) or the control group (without the service).
The intervention group was provided with online medical consultation services and medical and health information from the time of participation until 4 months postpartum.
Online medical consultation service provided by the project
Evening consultations (weekdays 18:00-22:00, by appointment only, 10 minutes/time, video call, voice call, or chat available)
Daytime midwife chat consultations (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (except holidays) from 13:00 to 17:00; no appointment required, chat only)
Results and findings from the project
The incidence rate of high risk of postpartum depression was 15.2% in the intervention group (with service provision) and 22.81 TP6T in the control group (without service provision), with a relative risk (ratio of incidence rates) of 0.67 (951 TP6T confidence interval [0.48, 0.93], a statistically significant difference).
In other words, the risk of postpartum depression was relatively 33% lower in the group that was offered online medical consultation during pregnancy.
The effect on postpartum depression risk reduction was observed regardless of household income.
▼ Results of this study
Arakawa Y, et al. Effectiveness of mHealth consultation services for preventing postpartum depressive symptoms: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Med. 2023 Jun 26;21(1):221.
Background of this study
Based on the hypothesis that providing an environment in which people can consult with professionals online from home using smartphones or other devices may reduce the number of people at high risk for postpartum depression, this study examined whether providing "OB/GYN Online and Pediatrics Online" by Kids Public Inc. from pregnancy to postpartum period would reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Ltd. from pregnancy to postpartum, we tested whether it would be possible to reduce the risk of postpartum depression by providing an online environment for consultation with professionals.
Postpartum depression is depression that occurs in women who have given birth, generally occurring in 10 to 15 out of 100 women who have given birth [1]. In Japan, it is known that approximately 1 in 8 mothers experience postpartum depression during the 1-3 month postpartum period [2].
Postpartum depression is also a major risk for suicide, and has also been reported to be associated with other disorders of attachment to the child and abuse. Preventing the onset of postpartum depression is expected not only to protect the lives of postpartum women and the happiness of their families, but also to reduce social costs [3].
▼ For more information on this project, please see the press release published at the time of project completion.
33.51 TP6T reduction in high-risk postpartum depression": demonstrated as an effect of telehealth medical consultation service (obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics online).(May 9, 2022)
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000141.000019477.html
Representative of Obstetrics and Gynecology Online, Deputy Director of this project, OB/GYN Doctor Daisuke Shigemi Comments
We are very happy that the results of the project we conducted with Yokohama City from 2020 to 2022 have been officially published as an academic paper in an international journal.
We believe that the effectiveness of reducing the number of women at high risk of postpartum depression at 3 months postpartum by providing online medical consultation from the time of pregnancy is of great significance for the current and future support of expectant mothers in Japan. We are committed to expanding this service nationwide as a means of providing a complementary approach in addition to existing support services to those who are anxious or isolated and are difficult to reach through medical institutions or government agencies.
Once again, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Arakawa and other researchers at the University of Tokyo for putting this paper into the form of a paper, to all those involved in this project, and to all the expectant and nursing mothers who participated in this project.
works cited
[1] Royal College of Psychiatrists. Postnatal Depression.
[2] Tokumitsu, K, et al. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2020;19:41.
[3] Centre for Mental Health and London School of Economics, The costs of perinatal mental health problems. 2014.For media inquiries, please contact
International Public Relations Office, Public Relations Division, External Relations Department, Kyoto University
*Current affiliation of the researcher in charge.
TEL: 075-753-5729
FAX: 075-753-2094
■E-mail:comms@mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Public Relations Office, Kids Public Inc.(Attn: Haruyama)
Location: Kanda Shinmiyajima Bldg. 4F, 1-8-14 Kanda Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-6206-8803
■E-Mail:marketing@kids-public.co.jp
■Date of Establishment: December 28, 2015
Representative: Naoya Hashimoto, Representative Director (Pediatrician)
■Business description: With the philosophy of "realizing a society in which no one is isolated in raising children", we are close to children's health and child rearing through the Internet.
■ Provided services:
Remote health medical consultation service
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- OB/GYN Onlinehttps://obstetrics.jp/
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- Online Journal of Pediatricshttps://journal.syounika.jp/
- OB/GYN Online Journalhttps://journal.obstetrics.jp/
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