Early postpartum mood as a risk factor for postnatal depression in Nigerian women

OBJECTIVE: This report explored early postpartum mood changes and their correlation with postnatal depression in African women. METHOD: Scores on the Maternity Blues Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for 478 women on the fifth day postpartum were compared with the women's Research Diagnostic Criteria diagnosis at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: The Maternity Blues Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores at day 5 postpartum were found to reliably predict the diagnosis of depression at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: African women at risk of postnatal depression can be identified in the early postnatal period by incorporating simple screening methods.