An international study exploring levels of postpartum depressive symptomatology

Differences in postpartum depressive symptomatology (PPDS) among an international sample of 892 women from nine countries representing five continents were explored.

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess PPDS among a convenience sample that completed the two questionnaires twice, yielding a total of four sets of scores per subject. Women sampled were primiparae with no obstetrical complications, and had a healthy baby. Depression history and therapy were ruled out as exclusion criteria.

Mean scores for EPDS and BDI varied across sites at both time points (P value<.001). European and Australian women had the lowest levels of PPDS, USA women fell at the midpoint, and women from Asia and South America had the highest depressive symptom scores. The moderate concordance between the EPDS and BDI suggested that the measures have complementary uses for screening and assessment.

Utility of EPDS and BDI for yielding profiles of postpartum women's depressive symptomatology was demonstrated. Further research to validate depressive symptom measures with diverse international populations is indicated.