EPDS Postnatal Depression Scale Calculator

EPDS Postnatal Depression Scale Explanation and Clinical Context The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is a validated screening questionnaire designed to identify mothers who are at risk of developing postpartum depressive symptoms. It evaluates emotional and psychological wellbeing in the early postpartum period through ten items that capture sadness anxiety guilt loss of enjoyment and intrusive self harm thoughts. Scores range from zero to thirty with higher values indicating more significant depressive symptoms.

A score of ten or more suggests possible postpartum depression and a score of thirteen or more indicates a higher probability of clinically relevant depressive symptoms that require further assessment. Item ten which asks about thoughts of self harm always warrants immediate clinical attention regardless of the total score. EPDS assists clinicians in early recognition of maternal mood disturbances improving opportunities for timely intervention mother infant bonding support and prevention of long term consequences.

Reference Cox JL Holden JM Sagovsky R Detection of postnatal depression Development of the ten item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale British Journal of Psychiatry 1987 150 782 786