Usefulness of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Purpose: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common postnatal problem. PPD has a negative influence on maternal functioning and child development. We examined the result of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) after delivery. Methods: Three hundred two postpartum mothers were enrolled in the study. The Korean version of EPDS was completed and scored at postpartum visits. Mothers whose score was 10 or more were classified as an EPDS positive for PPD. We reviewed their medical records and determined risk factors for positive EPDS result. Results: The positive rate of EPDS was 27.8% (84/302). Among various factors, a newborn's body weight more than 4.0 kg was statistically related to the positive result. The positive rate of EPDS was significantly higher when performed within postpartum 60 days than after postpartum 60 days. Among 84 positive women, only three mothers visited a psychiatric clinic for further evaluation and management of PPD. Conclusion:The EPDS was a useful tool for PPD screening. Obstetricians should consider an EPDS for effective screening of PPD. It would be the next important issue to encourage a screening positive mother to visit a psychiatric clinic.

Feelings, Self-Care, and Infant Care Reported by Korean Women at Risk for Postpartum Depression

“…Korean women are reluctant to contact healthcare services for their depressive feelings because of the social stigma associated with mental illness (Klainin & Arthur, 2009). Continuous mental health management or services to assist women after birth for their wellbeing are often lacking (Ahn, Kang, Park & Choi, 2015).Furthermore, health care provider recognition of the importance of proper management of PPD remains low. Consequently, Korean women are left to search on their own for reliable health information and services for PPD (Kang, Kim, & Kim, 2012).…”

Dyadic Adjustment and Sense of Mastery of Pregnant Women Protect Against Prenatal Depression

“…In Korea, there have been several validation studies of the EPDS in perinatal pregnant samples [5,7,10]. Previous studies in Korea [5,29,30] found that sensitivity was 77% and specificity was 87% using a cut -off score of 9/10. The present study used this cut-off score as the basis for classifying an individual as depressed or non-depressed.…”

A Cross Sectional Study of Predictors of Antenatal Depression in Unmarried Korean Pregnant Women Receiving Shelter Services

“…The incidence of antenatal depression in Korea is 26-36% [3][4][5]. In addition, compared to the incidence of postpartum depression in Korea (10-28% [5,6]), the incidence of antenatal depression is very high.…”