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The EPDS is the most widely used perinatal depression screen in the world. Ten items, two to three minutes to complete, designed specifically for the perinatal window — the months around birth, when typical depression measures can over-flag normal postpartum fatigue and sleep disruption.

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What it measures

Perinatal mood symptoms over the past 7 days — anhedonia, anticipatory pleasure, self-blame, anxiety, panic, coping, sleep, sadness, crying, and self-harm thoughts.

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When to use it

  • Routine perinatal screening at known risk points — typically late pregnancy and 6-8 weeks postpartum
  • Any session with a perinatal client where mood is on the agenda
  • Treatment-response tracking for perinatal mood disorder
  • Re-screening when something shifts (a NICU stay, a feeding crisis, a relationship strain)
Validated for use with fathers (Matthey 2008) and antenatally (Murray & Cox 1990) — not just for postpartum mothers.

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How clients fill it out

Three minutes self-administered. The instructions ask about the past seven days, not just today — that’s part of the canonical instrument.

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Scoring and severity cutoffs

Sum of 10 items, range 0-30. The original Cox 1987 cutoff for probable depression is ≥13. ≥10 is the lower cutoff used in many perinatal programs as a sensitivity-favouring trigger for follow-up. Items 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are reverse-scored. Rivet handles the inversion inside the answer options — you don’t have to think about it.
Item 10 (“The thought of harming myself has occurred to me”) carries a self-harm flag. Any response above “Never” warrants a same-session clinical conversation — regardless of the total score. A perinatal client with a low total and a positive Item 10 is still a clinical event.

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How to read it

A single EPDS doesn’t diagnose perinatal depression. It triggers a clinical conversation. Two or three administrations across the perinatal window — late pregnancy, 6-8 weeks postpartum, and at any pediatric well-baby visit you can coordinate with — are the most useful pattern. The Item 10 flag is independent of the band. Don’t let a “possible depression” total override an Item 10 yes.

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Is it free to use?

Yes. The Royal College of Psychiatrists permits free reproduction with citation, and the required citation travels with the template.

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Citation

Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., & Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 782-786. The Royal College of Psychiatrists permits free reproduction provided the citation appears on every copy. Rivet carries the full citation in the template description.

PHQ-9

Adult depression measure to pair with the EPDS for non-perinatal weeks or to triangulate severity.

GAD-7

Perinatal anxiety is common alongside perinatal depression — GAD-7 captures it directly.

Risk flagging

How Item 10 surfaces in the conversation and what to do with the signal.