Screening for perinatal depression in Australia: Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in pregnancy and the postpartum

Abstract

Background: Universal screening of all perinatal women using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is currently recommended in Australian National Guidelines, yet Australian validation studies of this measure are limited and with mixed findings. This study aims to address a current gap using the largest Australian sample to include both antenatal and postpartum periods to evaluate the performance screening for Major Depression. Method: Data from 887 women is drawn from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, a prospective cohort, in Melbourne, Perth and regional and rural Western Australia. Participants completed an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Structured Clinical I..