POSTNATAL DEPRESSION IN A COMMUNITY COHORT

A community cohort of 206 European and Maori women completed a questio nnaire screening for postnatal depression at 4 weeks postpartum. The p revalence of major depressive disorder amongst the women was 7.8% with a further 13.6% of women experiencing more minor depressive symptoms. Postnatal depression was more likely to occur in women who were singl e, were less than 20 years old at the birth of their first child, were unhappy with their relationship with their partner, had a history of previous psychiatric hospitalisation, and were Maori. Women who were d epressed were more likely to show a lack of enjoyment of and less posi tive attitude towards their infant. The study highlights the value of screening for postnatal depression with a simple questionnaire, as few depressed women would have been otherwise recognised.