Non-psychotic post-partum depression

This is the first multicentre study on the prevalence of women with Postpartum Depression (PPD) in a German-speaking country. For this purpose, the internationally used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was translated into German and this version was validated linguistically, as well as statistically. In a parallel ''blind'' study the German version was validated by means of semistructured psychiatric interviews of 54 participating women. A score of 10 or more on this self-report questionnaire points to depressive symptoms of such significance that clinical assessment for PPD is indicated. With their consent, women received the EPDS with a demographic questionnaire three and six months after delivery. Of the 3087 scales that were returned, 15.7% of the women at three months and 13.7% of the women at six months post partum had a score of 10 or more. In total, 21.3% of the women who answered both questionnaires were depressed at one or both points during the observed time. Demographic data of statistical significance for the EPDS score Included the items: ''single'', ''no support from the baby's father'', ''not nursing'', ''receiver of social welfare'', ''stress factors'', and ''low educational level''. Using descriptive statistics, a profile of women at risk of PPD is presented.