Literature underlines that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was the most common measure to assess pregnancy and postpartum depression worldwide and suggests that the rate of false positive cases is high. Furthermore, the EPDS measures, but not distinguish between depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to value the ability of the Mood Spectrum Self Report Last Month (MOOD SR LM) to detect the rate of false positive obtained with EPDS

We recruited 81 pregnant women at the third month of pregnancy. 32 women were affected by Major Depression (MD) assessed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis I Diagnosis and 49 women had EPDS score ≥ 13 but didn’t reach the diagnosis of MD by SCID I(False posivite group). Women were administered with the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R), MOOD SR-LM, Work and Social Adjustment Scale(WSAS) at the third month of pregnancy.

The two groups wasn't different concerning the average scores using PDPI and EPDS. The WSAS average scores were higher in the depressed women group than in the false positive group. Tree factors of MOOD SR LR (“Depressive Mood”, “Psychomotor Retardation and “Drug/Illness related Depression”) had higher average scores in the depressed women group than in the false positive group.

To our results, MOOD SR LM seem to be able to decrease the false positive cases. Further studies concerning this use of MOOD SR LM are necessary.

Perinatal depression is a particolar challenge to clinicians, and its prevalence estimates are difficult to compare across studies. Furthermore,there are no studies that systematically assessed the incidence of perinatal depression. The aim of this study is to estimate prevalence, incidence, recurrence and new onset of DSM IV minor and major depression (mMD) in an unselected population of pregnant women.

1066 pregnant women were recruited at third month of pregnancy (T0), and minor/major depression (mMD) was assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV disorders (SCID I). The SCID I was administered at baseline evaluation (T0), the Edimburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered at third, 6th (T1), 8th (T2) month of pregnancy, and the SCID I Mood module was administered to confirme an eventual DSM-IV minor or major depression diagnosis when the EPDS score was≥13.

The pregnancy period prevalence of mMD was 12,4%.The point prevalence of mMD decreased from 8,6% at the 3rd month of pregnancy to 1,7% at the 8th month of pregnancy.The cumulative incidence of mMD was 2,2%. The weighted incidence of new onsets during pregnancy was 1,6%. The weighted percentage of recurrences during pregnancy was 3,7%.

The decline in the point prevalence during the second and third trimester of pregnancy found in our study may be attributed to psychological counselling and/or pharmacological treatment.Further studies about new onsets of depression during pregnancy are highly important in order to improve clinical prediction of risk in any individual woman.

Depression during pregnancy is associated to physical symptoms that can impair the functioning of women; furthermore some of the depression somatic symptoms (i.e., sleep disturbance, fatigue, weight change and appetite) are also features of pregnancy. The overlap of symptomatology can interfere with the identification and the diagnosis of the mood episode. Aim of this study is to compare the the depressive phenomenology and the presence of Axis I comorbidity between pregnant and non pregnant depressed women.

We diagnosed Major Depression (MD) using the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I Diagnosis DSM IV (SCID I) in 32 pregnant women at third month of pregnancy and 87 non pregnant women and we compared the depressive phenomenology in the two groups. Then we administered the Mood Spectrum Self Repost Last Month (MOOD SR-LM) in the two group in order to study the mood spectrum symptomatology.

Pregnant depressed women have higher psychomotor retardation, higher levels of concentration and lower agitation than non pregnant depressed women.

The severity of depression symptoms was similar in the two depressed groups.

Our results agree with current litterature about the presence of psychomotor retardation in depressed pregnant women.

The higher level of concentration in pregnant women could be explained by the high comorbidity with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). In the pregnant depressed women the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Panic Disorder (PD) comorbidity are more rappresentated.

To investigate the predictive role of any specific (DSM-IV) Anxiety Disorders (AD) on depressive symptoms and Major or Minor Depressive Disorder (MDD, mDD) during early postpartum period.

Women (at the 12th-15th gestational week, N=1066) were recruited in the framework of the Program ‘Perinatal Depression - Research & Screening Unit (PND-ReScU)’. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Axis-I disorders (AD, MDD, mDD) were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis-I Disorders (SCID-I).

Any current AD at baseline (3rd month of pregnancy) was detected in 231 (21.7%). Having at least one current AD, was associated with a greater likelihood of having MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period, even after the adjustment for the confounding factor of having a lifetime history of MDD (RR=3.86 95%CI 1.58-9.42).

In particular, women affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (N=17; 1.6%) or Panic Disorder (N=43; 4%) had at higher risk to develop depressive symptoms (EPDS≥13) during the postpartum period than women without these AD (RR=6.9 and 6.7 respectively). As for the risk of developing PPD, the strongest association was found for women with Panic Disorder (RR=7.6 95% CI 2.62-22.0).

AD are associated with a greater likelihood to develop depressive symptoms and MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period. Women with current PD have the strongest risk to develop both MDD or mDD and depressive symptoms during early postpartum period compared to other anxiety disorders.

To investigate the predictive role of any specific (DSM-IV) Anxiety Disorders (AD) on depressive symptoms and Major or Minor Depressive Disorder (MDD, mDD) during early postpartum period.

Women (at the 12th-15th gestational week, N=1066) were recruited in the framework of the Program ‘Perinatal Depression - Research & Screening Unit (PND-ReScU)". Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Axis-I disorders (AD, MDD, mDD) were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis-I Disorders (SCID-I).

Any current AD at baseline (3rd month of pregnancy) was detected in 231 (21.7%). Having at least one current AD, was associated with a greater likelihood of having MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period, even after the adjustment for the confounding factor of having a lifetime history of MDD (RR=3.86 95%CI 1.58-9.42).

In particular, women affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (N=17; 1.6%) or Panic Disorder (N=43; 4%) had at higher risk to develop depressive symptoms (EPDS≥13) during the postpartum period than women without these AD (RR=6.9 and 6.7 respectively). As for the risk of developing PPD, the strongest association was found for women with Panic Disorder (RR=7.6 95% CI 2.62-22.0).

AD are associated with a greater likelihood to develop depressive symptoms and MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period. Women with current PD have the strongest risk to develop both MDD or mDD and depressive symptoms during early postpartum period compared to other anxiety disorders.

In the perinatal period the woman is vulnerable to depression. Major and minor depression presents prevalence rates ranging respectively from 8,5 and 11% during pregnancy and between 6.5% and 12.9% in the first year post-partum. However, only a small percentage of cases are identified and treated, with negative consequences on both the mother and the baby.

To compare two samples of women at the first month postpartum, the first followed since first month of pregnancy and the second evaluated the first time in the first month postpartum, about the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

We compared two groups of women in the first month postpartum: 271 women followed since 1 st month of pregnancy and 130 women evaluated for the first time in the first month postpartum. We administered: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R) and the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnosis of Axis I psychiatric disorders (SCID-I).

In the first month postpartum, women followed since pregnancy have a significantly lower depressive symptoms and anxiety, as demonstrated by lower EPDS scores (t = −6,140, p < .001) and STAI scores (t = −4,800, p < .001).

Early screening can reduce rates of perinatal psychopathology and allow to identify women most at risk, allowing earlier diagnosis and better treatment management.