Virtual reality for the treatment of perinatal mental health: a rapid scoping review

Objectives

To evaluate the available virtual reality (VR) applications for treating perinatal mental health disorders, focusing on their effectiveness in reducing symptoms such as anxiety and depression, which are common during the perinatal period.

Design

Rapid scoping review adhering to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR), with adjustments based on the Cochrane Rapid Reviews guidelines.

Data sources

Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews using Ovid and Web of Science were searched through 20 February 2024.

Eligibility criteria

Studies were included if they were written in English or French, provided details on the VR technology, described the assessment of perinatal mood disorders and specified the outcomes measured and the methodological approach used. Review and editorial articles were excluded as well as abstracts and posters.

Data extraction and synthesis

One reviewer extracted study characteristics (eg, design, participants, VR components, outcomes) and a second reviewer verified accuracy; study quality was assessed using the National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment of Controlled Intervention Studies tool, and findings were synthesised narratively and in tabular form.

Results

A total of 425 records were identified. After removing duplicates, 308 records were screened by title and abstract. Of these, 74 full texts were assessed for eligibility, resulting in 10 studies being included for data extraction. These final studies were primarily conducted in high-income countries from 2019 to 2024. 8 of 10 (80%) were randomised controlled trials, employing VR through head-mounted displays. Studies predominantly targeted non-severe cases of anxiety and depression, with VR environments ranging from nature scenes to therapeutic content. Results suggest a positive impact of VR interventions on reducing anxiety and depression levels among participants.

Conclusions

Studying VR appears to be a promising avenue for developing options to manage perinatal mental health. The immersive nature of VR may provide opportunities for emotional relief and support during this critical period through engaging experiences which can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, the body of research remains limited, indicating a need for further studies to explore the long-term benefits and potential integration of VR into perinatal healthcare practices. The promising results from initial studies encourage continued exploration and development within this innovative therapeutic field.