Anxiety, stress and depression are common in pregnancy and significant levels of anxiety symptoms are experienced by up to half of all women during pregnancy. Mild to moderate perinatal depression, stress and anxiety may cause serious adverse effects on mothers and children which includes preterm birth and low birth weight, child developmental delay and poor child mental health. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is recommended as an early intervention for improving maternal-child outcomes. CBT, in conjunction with antipsychotic drugs, are powerful in lowering distressing symptoms and hospitalizations, in comparison with medication alone. Mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) also have effects on reducing psychological and physiological indices of stress arousal. MBIs reduces the exposure of the foetus towards stress, anxiety and depression, and it helps to maintain a more positive intrauterine environment for the developing foetus. Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can effectively reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety and may help in preventing recurrence of depression. Studies had proved that early detection and treatment of anxiety, stress and depression can benefit both mother and child. Studies showed that behavioural therapy is most cost effective therapy in reducing maternal stress, depression and anxiety when compared to pharmacotherapy. CBT is a highly effective treatment for depression and anxiety and it consists of psycho-education, behavioural activation, cognitive therapy and relapse prevention. Majority of studies concluded that, blended CBT is most cost-effective than pharmacotherapy.
