Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in the Immediate Postpartum Period

Purpose: There is currently little information about rates of positive maternal depression screens immediately after delivery; rather, most studies have assessed the prevalence of major depression between 1 and 6 months postpartum. This study investigated the rate of positive 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) surveys within 1 to 2 days after delivery. Methods: A retrospective chart review of PHQ-9 results obtained within 1 to 2 days after childbirth was performed on 441 women who delivered at 3 St. Paul, MN, hospitals during February 2010. Results: Out of 441 deliveries recorded during the study period, PHQ-9 results were available for 361 women (81.9%). A total of 9 women (2.5%) had positive PHQ-9 scores within 1 to 2 days after delivery. Conclusion: We found very low rates of depressive symptoms during the immediate postpartum period, which leads us to suggest that this is not an ideal time for postpartum depression screening or evaluation. (J Am Board Fam Med 2011; 24:258-261.)