ToolsCalculators
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Self-report screen for depressive symptoms in the perinatal period.
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Ability to laugh and see the funny side of things (past 7 days)
Looking forward to things with enjoyment (past 7 days)
Blamed herself unnecessarily when things went wrong (past 7 days)
Felt anxious or worried for no good reason (past 7 days)
Felt scared or panicky for no good reason (past 7 days)
Felt overwhelmed, things have been getting on top of her (past 7 days)
Been so unhappy that she had difficulty sleeping (past 7 days)
Felt sad or miserable (past 7 days)
Felt unhappy enough to be crying (past 7 days)
Thoughts of harming herself have occurred to her (past 7 days)
Result0 points
Depression unlikely (score range 0-30).
- Interpretation
- Depression unlikely
When to use
- Screening for depressive symptoms during pregnancy and in the postnatal period.
Formula
Sum of 10 items, each scored 0-3 over the preceding 7 days. Range 0-30; item 10 (self-harm thoughts) scored >0 warrants urgent safety assessment regardless of total.
Pearls and pitfalls
- A widely used cut-off is >=13 for probable depression and 10-12 for possible depression requiring follow-up, though local validated thresholds vary.
- Not a diagnostic instrument - a positive screen requires clinical assessment.