Abstract: Objective: To observe the effects of the therapy of thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding combined with epidural labor analgesia on postpartum depression (PPD). Methods: A total of 110 primiparas were selected as the study objects and divided into the observation group and the control group according to the random number table method,with 55 cases in each group. The control group was given epidural labor analgesia for treatment, and the observation group was treated with thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding combined with epidural labor analgesia. The scores of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the levels of serum β-endorphin (β -EP) and glutamic acid (Glu) before and after treatment, and the way of delivery, 1-minute Apgar scores of neonates and incidence of PPD were compared between the two groups. Results: When the cervical os was dilated up to 4, 6, 8 and 10cm, the VAS scores in the two groups were respectively decreased (P<0.05),and the VAS score in the observation group at each time point was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). When the cervical os was dilated to 10cm,the serum β-EP levels in the two groups were increased (P<0.05),and the serum β-EP level in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05);the serum Glu level in the observation group was decreased (P<0.05),the serum Glu level in the control group was increased (P<0.05), and the serum Glu level in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference being found in the comparison of way of delivery and 1-minute Apgar score of neonates between the two groups (P> 0.05). After 42 days of postpartum,the EPDS scores in the two groups were increased (P<0.05),and the EPDS score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). After 42 days of postpartum, the incidence of PPD in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P< 0.05). Conclusion:The therapy of thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding combined with epidural labor analgesia can decrease the incidence of PPD,and its mechanism may be related to the mitigation of delivery pain and regulation of release of neurotransmitters.