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Obstetrics and Gynecology Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening Tool

Responses are scored 0, 1, 2, or 3 according to the severity of the symptoms. Some questions are reverse scored (i.e. 3, 2, 1, and 0). The total score is determined by adding the scores of each of the 10 questions. If you have a score of 13 or above, please call for an appointment.

Regardless of your total score, if you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please seek help immediately.

In the past 7 days, not just how you feel today:

1. I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things:

  • 0 As much as I always could
  • 1 Not quite so much now
  • 2 Definitely not so much now
  • 3 Not at all

2. I have looked forward with enjoyment to things:

  • 0 As much as I ever did
  • 1 Rather less than I used to
  • 2 Definitely less than I used to
  • 3 Hardly at all

3. I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong:

  • 3 Yes, most of the time
  • 2 Yes, some of the time
  • 1 Not very often
  • 0 No, never

4. I have been anxious or worried for no good reason:

  • 0 No, not at all
  • 1 Hardly ever
  • 2 Yes, sometimes
  • 3 Yes, very often

5. I have felt scared or panicky for no very good reason:

  • 3 Yes, quite a lot
  • 2 Yes, sometimes
  • 1 No, not much
  • 0 No, not at all

6. Things have been getting on top of me:

  • 3 Yes, most of the time I haven’t been able to cope at all
  • 2 Yes, sometimes I haven’t been coping as well as usual
  • 1 No, most of the time I have coped quite well
  • 0 No, I have been coping as well as ever

7. I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping:

  • 3 Yes, most of the time
  • 2 Yes, sometimes
  • 1 Not very often
  • 0 No, not at all

8. I have felt sad or miserable:

  • 3 Yes, most of the time
  • 2 Yes, quite often
  • 1 Not very often
  • 0 No, not at all

9. I have been so unhappy that I have been crying:

  • 3 Yes, most of the time
  • 2 Yes, quite often
  • 1 Only occasionally
  • 0 No, never

10. The thought of harming myself has occurred to me:

  • 3 Yes, quite often
  • 2 Sometimes
  • 1 Hardly ever
  • 0 Never

If you have a score of 13 or above, please notify your health care provider.

Disclaimer: This is only a preliminary screening test for depressive symptoms. It is designed to give a preliminary idea about the presence of mild to moderate depressive symptoms that indicate the need for an evaluation by a psychiatrist. It does not in any way replace a formal psychiatric evaluation. Source: J.L. Cox, J.M. Holden, and R. Sagovsky, “Detection of Postnatal Depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale,” British Journal of Psychiatry (1987):150, 782-86.