AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
Review Article
Mar 23, 2026 10 2

Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review

Oluwatoyin Justina Enikuomehin 1,
Ugota Isaac Ikenna 2,
Felix Olayemi Fagbomedo 3,
Augustina Chukwu-ukeh 4,
Oforbuike Samuel Odo 5,
Susan Ayobami Ogundare 6,
Lilian Ukamaka Okafor 7 *
1 Department of Medicine, Crimea Federal University, Medical Academy Named After S.I. Georgievsky of Vernadsky CFU, Ukraine2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria 3 Department of Chemical pathology and Immunology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Nigeria4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lagos state University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria5 Department of Emergency Medicine, King Saud Hospital, Unayzah, Al Qasim, Saudi Arabia6 Department of Medicine, Lautech, College of Health Sciences, Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria7 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, National Obstetrics Fistula Centre Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria* Corresponding Author
Australian Journal of Biomedical Research, 2(2), 2026, aubm017, https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
Publication date: Mar 23, 2026
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ABSTRACT

Abstract
Background: Postpartum depression (PPD is a prevalent and disabling condition with significant consequences for maternal and infant well-being. Women who conceive through assisted reproductive technologies (ART) may experience distinct psychological vulnerabilities in the postpartum period due to prolonged infertility, treatment-related stress, and prior pregnancy loss. Digital health interventions (DHIs) have emerged as promising tools for addressing perinatal mental health needs; however, their relevance and effectiveness for women following assisted reproduction remain insufficiently synthesized.
Objective: This narrative review aims to critically examine the current evidence on digital health interventions for postpartum depression in the context of assisted reproduction, with a focus on conceptual relevance, methodological strengths and limitations, and implications for clinical practice and future research.
Methods: A structured narrative synthesis was conducted using transparent search procedures across major bibliographic databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Peer-reviewed empirical studies, reviews, and key conceptual papers addressing digital mental health interventions for postpartum depression were included, with particular attention to the representation and reporting of ART-conceived populations.
Results: Existing digital interventions—such as mobile health applications, web-based psychotherapy, telepsychology, and emerging AI-supported tools—demonstrate feasibility and acceptability in general postpartum populations. However, ART-specific evidence remains limited, with most studies embedding women who conceive through assisted reproduction within broader perinatal samples and rarely tailoring intervention content to infertility-related psychological experiences. Methodological heterogeneity, small sample sizes, short follow-up periods, and limited subgroup analyses constrain the strength of population-specific conclusions.
Conclusions: Digital health interventions hold considerable promise for addressing postpartum depression following assisted reproduction, but current evidence is largely indirect. Conceptually, DHIs align well with the psychological needs of ART populations; empirically, however, rigorous validation is lacking. Future research should prioritize ART-specific trials, longitudinal designs, participatory co-design approaches, and integration with clinical care pathways to develop effective, personalized, and equitable digital mental health solutions for this high-risk population.

KEYWORDS

Postpartum Depression Assisted Reproductive Technologies Digital Health Interventions Perinatal Mental Health Infertility Mobile Health Telepsychology Narrative Review

CITATION (Vancouver)

Enikuomehin OJ, Ikenna UI, Fagbomedo FO, Chukwu-ukeh A, Odo OS, Ogundare SA, et al. Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review. Australian Journal of Biomedical Research. 2026;2(2):aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
APA
Enikuomehin, O. J., Ikenna, U. I., Fagbomedo, F. O., Chukwu-ukeh, A., Odo, O. S., Ogundare, S. A., & Okafor, L. U. (2026). Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review. Australian Journal of Biomedical Research, 2(2), aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
Harvard
Enikuomehin, O. J., Ikenna, U. I., Fagbomedo, F. O., Chukwu-ukeh, A., Odo, O. S., Ogundare, S. A., and Okafor, L. U. (2026). Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review. Australian Journal of Biomedical Research, 2(2), aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
AMA
Enikuomehin OJ, Ikenna UI, Fagbomedo FO, et al. Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review. Australian Journal of Biomedical Research. 2026;2(2), aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
Chicago
Enikuomehin, Oluwatoyin Justina, Ugota Isaac Ikenna, Felix Olayemi Fagbomedo, Augustina Chukwu-ukeh, Oforbuike Samuel Odo, Susan Ayobami Ogundare, and Lilian Ukamaka Okafor. "Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review". Australian Journal of Biomedical Research 2026 2 no. 2 (2026): aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175
MLA
Enikuomehin, Oluwatoyin Justina et al. "Digital Health Interventions for Postpartum Depression Following Assisted Reproduction: A Narrative Review". Australian Journal of Biomedical Research, vol. 2, no. 2, 2026, aubm017. https://doi.org/10.63946/aubiomed/18175

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