Does antenatal screening for psychosocial risk factors predict postnatal depression? A follow-up study of 154 women in Adelaide, South Australia.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effectiveness of antenatal screening for psychosocial risk factors in predicting postnatal depression, in women living in a socioeconomically deprived area.

METHOD: 154 women completed the Antenatal Psychosocial Questionnaire (APQ) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify antenatal psychosocial risk factors predictive of EPDS caseness, with an EPDS score of 10 or more being taken to indicate depression.

RESULTS

Antenatal depression was more common than postnatal depression. 44 women (30%) met criteria for antenatal depression and 33 women (22.6%) met criteria for postnatal depression. 21 women (14.4%) were depressed both before and after delivery of their baby, and women who had antenatal depression were significantly more likely to be depressed postnatally. Whilst there were high rates of endorsement of antenatal psychosocial risk factors, the only item from the APQ that predicted postnatal depression was emotional abuse as a child.

CONCLUSION

Antenatal screening for psychosocial risk factors was useful in identifying problems during the antenatal period, but was not useful as a predictor of postnatal depression.