# Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in peripartum depressive disorder: a structured literature review - URL: https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev1042 - Language: en - Last updated: not specified - Page title: Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in peripartum depressive disorder: a structured literature review | WCP 2026 Summary > In a review encompassing twenty-seven reports, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation appears to reduce depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the post… This page was translated automatically from Turkish. [Read the original](https://alisanburak.com/wcp-2026-posterler/ev1042) This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it. EV1042 E-PosterNeuromodulationStructured literature review # Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in peripartum depressive disorder: a structured literature review EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION FOR PERIPARTUM DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: A STRUCTURED LITERATURE REVIEW Presenter: Isabel Mangas Palma Country: Portugal In a review encompassing twenty-seven reports, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation appears to reduce depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period and to be generally well tolerated, although the evidence remains limited. The aim of the review is to synthesize evidence on the efficacy, acceptability, and maternal, fetal, and neonatal safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for peripartum depressive disorder (PDD), which occurs during pregnancy or within 12 months after childbirth and affects approximately 11.9% of women. PubMed was searched using relevant keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH); studies were included if they involved adults receiving rTMS for PDD and reported depressive symptom outcomes, maternal, fetal, or neonatal safety, or treatment discontinuation data. Twenty-seven reports met the inclusion criteria: 20 reports on pregnancy (n=99; 1 randomized controlled trial, 3 single-arm studies, and 16 case reports or case series) and 7 reports on the postpartum period (n=202; 1 randomized controlled trial, 3 single-arm studies, 2 case reports, and 1 retrospective comparative study). The distribution of treatment timing during pregnancy was as follows: first trimester, 4 reports; second trimester, 7; third trimester, 1; multiple trimesters, 6; and not reported, 2. Baseline severity was generally moderate to severe in both periods. Concomitant medication use was reported in 13 of 20 studies during pregnancy and 4 of 7 studies in the postpartum period. During pregnancy, conventional rTMS was used in 16/20 studies and theta burst stimulation (TBS) in 4/20; the target region was the prefrontal cortex in 19/20 studies, with predominantly left-sided stimulation, and treatment ranged from 1 to 77 sessions. In the postpartum period, conventional rTMS was used in 5/7 studies and TBS in 2/7; the target was the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in 7/7 studies, and treatment ranged from 11 to 80 sessions. Regarding efficacy, improvement in depressive symptoms was reported in 18 of 20 reports during pregnancy, with one additional report describing successful maintenance treatment; improvement was observed in all 7 postpartum studies. Regarding safety, preterm birth was the most frequently reported adverse perinatal outcome during pregnancy, although its relationship to rTMS remained unclear. No serious adverse events were reported in postpartum studies that provided safety data. The most common side effects were generally transient headache and scalp pain or discomfort, and treatment completion rates were generally high. Small samples, predominantly uncontrolled designs, heterogeneous TMS protocols, and limited long-term safety data preclude definitive conclusions; larger randomized controlled trials using standardized protocols and systematic maternal, fetal, and infant follow-up are needed. [View the original poster](https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/wcp26/attendee/eposter/file/2140) How to cite this study APA 7: Palma, I. M., et al. (2026, September 23-26). Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depressive disorder: a structured literature review [E-poster]. 26th WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP 2026), Stockholm, Sweden. https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/wcp26/attendee/eposter/file/2140 Vancouver: Palma IM, et al. Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depressive disorder: a structured literature review [e-poster]. 26th WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (WCP 2026); 2026 Sep 23-26; Stockholm, Sweden. Available from: https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/wcp26/attendee/eposter/file/2140 Author names and title formatting were generated automatically from the congress system; please check them against the original poster before use. ## On the same topic - [Kumar oynama bozukluğunda teta patlama uyarımının klinik etkinliği ve plasebo etkileri: başlangıçtaki anksiyete ve depresyonun rolü](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev0055) - [Transkraniyal darbe uyarımı (TPS) Alzheimer hastalığı olan hastalarda uygun bir ek tedavi mi?](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev0407) - [Demansta tedaviye dirençli ajitasyonda elektrokonvulsif tedavi: anlatısal derleme](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev0414) - [Elektrokonvulsif tedavi sonrası bilişsel değişimin nöroimmün ve psikolojik mekanizmaları: boylamsal MITO-ECT çalışmasının ön sonuçları](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev0825) - [Yetişkin tedaviye dirençli depresyon hastalarında DEHB belirtilerini iyileştiren güçlendirilmiş tDCS'nin klinik ve görüntüleme mekanizmaları](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev0851) [All WCP 2026 summaries](https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler) --- Kaynak / Source: https://alisanburak.com/en/wcp-2026-posterler/ev1042 İletişim / Contact: Bağdat Caddesi, Veli Güneysu Apt. No:453 K:4 D:9, Suadiye / Kadıköy, İstanbul · +90 532 642 95 25 · info@alisanburak.com · https://alisanburak.com/bagdat-caddesi-psikoterapi-iletisim