Antenatal screening for postnatal depression: a systematic review
Abstract
Objective To describe the screening properties of the antenatal tools which have been developed to predict depression after birth and to summarize the implications of the findings for antenatal screening. Method Systematic review and secondary analysis of published papers. Results Sixteen studies including sufficient data for the calculation of screening properties were identified. The majority developed a study-specific screening instrument. Outcome assessments used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale or standardized diagnostic psychiatric interviews, or both. In the two largest population-based studies, the proportion of women screening as positive ('at risk' of postnatal depression) was 16 and 52%, respectively, and of these only 35 and 8% actually developed depression after birth. Conclusion No screening instrument(s) met the criteria for routine application in the antenatal period. Factors that may have affected poor sensitivity and positive predictive values include the exclusion of key domains in predicting risk, particularly personality, a past history of abuse and postnatal events, the contribution of which may be being under-estimated in studies evaluating antenatal risk prediction tools.
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The proportion of elevated depressive symptomatology in this sample is higher than reported by other investigators screening for antepartum depression.
“This is also a higher proportion than reported by other investigators screening for antepartum depression.33”
From Prenatal Depression in Women Hospitalized for Obstetric Risk (2008) · cites this paper as [33]
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- Authors
- Austin, M. ‐., & Lumley, J.
- Affiliations
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- La Trobe University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Austin, M.‐P.
- ORCID
- Austin, M.‐P.
- Venue
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-01
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 10-17
- ISSN
- 0001-690X (ISSN-L)
- 1600-0447
- OpenAlex
- W2108915685
- Cited by
- 238
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Keywords
- postpartum depression, prenatal screening, screening tool, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, sensitivity and positive predictive value, risk prediction, personality, abuse history, maternal mental health
- MeSH terms
- Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Depression, Postpartum
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