A systematic review published in Brain and Behavior (February 2025) examined transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression in pregnancy. It included only three studies: two open-label studies and one randomized controlled trial, covering 62 women in total.
The authors describe TMS as potentially safe and effective, with good tolerability, mostly mild side effects such as headache, and no seizures or adverse neonatal outcomes attributed to TMS in the included studies.
They caution that the evidence is limited by small samples, a single randomized trial, and serious risk of bias in the open-label studies, and they call for larger trials and long-term follow-up of offspring. Anyone who is pregnant should discuss options with their obstetric and psychiatric providers.
Source
Reporting based on coverage from Brain and Behavior. This article is editorial summary intended for general information; it is not medical advice.
