Postpartum anxiety and depression: onset and comorbidity in a community sample

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 186(7), 420-424

DOI 10.1097/00005053-199807000-00006

Abstract

A community-based sample of 107 women completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 14 weeks postpartum and at 30 weeks postpartum. The point prevalence of anxiety was 8.7% at 14 weeks and 16.8% at 30 weeks postpartum. The point prevalence of depression was 23.3% at 14 weeks and 18.7% at 30 weeks postpartum. The incidence of anxiety during this time period was 10.28%, and the incidence of depression was 7.48%, indicating high incidences of both postpartum anxiety and depression later in the postpartum period. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was found to have a strong correlation with the State Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = .73 at 14 weeks, r = .82 at 30 weeks), suggesting that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale may be a good screening instrument for anxiety as well as depression.

Topics

postpartum anxiety screening, postpartum depression prevalence, edinburgh postnatal depression scale validation, anxiety and depression after childbirth, beck anxiety inventory postpartum, postpartum mental health screening tools, late postpartum anxiety incidence, epds for anxiety screening, postpartum mood disorders timing, postpartum psychiatric comorbidity

Cite this article

Stuart, S., Couser, G., Schilder, K. K., O'Hara, M. W., & Gorman, L. (1998). Postpartum anxiety and depression: onset and comorbidity in a community sample. *The Journal of nervous and mental disease*, *186*(7), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005053-199807000-00006

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