Postpartum

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

The EPDS was developed as a tool to screen for depression in women at the 6- to 8-week postpartum visit. This short, selfreport tool can be administered in a clinical setting or in a woman’s home. Responses are scored 0, 1, 2, or 3 according to the severity of the symptom. The questions marked with an asterisk (*) are reverse scored (i.e., 3, 2, 1, and 0). The total score is determined by adding the scores of each of the ten questions. A score above 13 is considered positive and the woman should be referred for further evaluation. Any indication of suicidal ideation, even if the total score is below 13, and the woman should be referred immediately for follow-up by a health professional. This scale is not intended to replace a complete assessment by a licensed health care professional.

Instructions for Users

1. The mother is asked to underline 1 of 4 possible responses that comes the closest to how she has been feeling the previous 7 days.

2. All 10 items must be completed.

3. Care should be taken to avoid the possibility of the mother discussing her answers with others.

4. The mother should complete the scale herself, unless she has limited English or has difficulty with reading.

As you have recently had a baby, we would like to know how you are feeling. Please UNDERLINE the answer which comes closest to how you have felt IN THE PAST 7 DAYS, not just how you feel today.

Here is an example, already completed.

I have felt happy:
Yes, all the time
Yes, most of the time
No, not very often
No, not at all

This would mean: "I have felt happy most of the time" during the past week. Please complete the other questions in the same way.

In the past 7 days:

1. I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things:
    As much as I always could
    Not quite so much now
    Definitely not so much now
    Not at all

2. I have looked forward with enjoyment to things:
    As much as I ever did
    Rather less than I used to
    Definitely less than I used to
    Hardly at all

*3. I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong:
    Yes, most of the time
    Yes, some of the time
    Not very often
    No, never

4. I have been anxious or worried for no good reason:
    No, not at all
    Hardly ever
    Yes, sometimes
    Yes, very often

*5. I have felt scared or panicky for no very good reason:
    Yes, quite a lot
    Yes, sometimes
    No, not much
    No, not at all

*6. Things have been getting on top of me:
    Yes, most of the time I haven’t been able to cope at all
    Yes, sometimes I haven’t been coping as well as usual
    No, most of the time I have coped quite well
    No, I have been coping as well as ever

*7. I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping:
    Yes, most of the time
    Yes, sometimes
    Not very often
    No, not at all

*8. I have felt sad or miserable:
    Yes, most of the time
    Yes, quite often
    Not very often
    No, not at all

*9. I have been so unhappy that I have been crying:
    Yes, most of the time
    Yes, quite often
    Only occasionally
    No, never

*10. The thought of harming myself has occurred to me:
    Yes, quite often
    Sometimes
    Hardly ever
    Never

Source: J. L. Cox, J. M. Holden, and R. Sagovsky, "Detection of Postnatal Depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale," British Journal of Psychiatry (1987): 150, 782–86.