Skip to main content
The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners logoLink to The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
. 1986 Jun;36(287):276–279.

Screening for antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms in general practice using a microcomputer-delivered questionnaire

Ray Ancill, Sean Hilton, Tony Carr, Marian Tooley, Angela McKenzie
PMCID: PMC1960557  PMID: 3761251

Abstract

One-hundred and eight women participated in a study which screened for depressive symptoms in the antenatal period. Of these women, 92 completed at least two further screenings during the postnatal year. The screening tool was the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, adapted for self-rating, and administered by a microcomputer. It was found that mean scores and the prevalence of depressive symptoms rose throughout pregnancy, with a sharp peak in the third trimester. Following delivery there was an abrupt fall in the prevalence of depressive symptoms, followed by another rise, with a postnatal peak at six months.

There were significant associations, at all levels of severity, between raised scores antenatally, and those developing postnatally in women completing the study. These were more marked in multiparae than primiparae. There was also a significant association between a past history of treated depression and the development of raised postnatal scores for depression.

The routine use of a microcomputer to administer questionnaires to patients has proved feasible within general practice.

Full text

PDF
276

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Akhtar M. J., Davey A., Cox H. E., Ancill R. J. A double-blind study comparing mianserin and dothiepin: an application for computers in clinical psychiatry. Br J Clin Pract. 1984 Sep;38(9):316–319. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ancill R. J., Rogers D., Carr A. C. Comparison of computerised self-rating scales for depression with conventional observer ratings. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1985 Mar;71(3):315–317. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1985.tb01290.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bridge L. R., Little B. C., Hayworth J., Dewhurst J., Priest R. G. Psychometric ante-natal predictors of post-natal depressed mood. J Psychosom Res. 1985;29(3):325–331. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(85)90059-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carr A. C., Ancill R. J., Ghosh A., Margo A. Direct assessment of depression by microcomputer. A feasibility study. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1981 Nov;64(5):415–422. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1981.tb00800.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HAMILTON M. A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1960 Feb;23:56–62. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.23.1.56. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kaij L., Jacobson L., Nilsson A. Post-partum mental disorder in an unselected sample. The influence of parity. J Psychosom Res. 1967 May;10(4):317–325. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(67)90068-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kumar R., Robson K. M. A prospective study of emotional disorders in childbearing women. Br J Psychiatry. 1984 Jan;144:35–47. doi: 10.1192/bjp.144.1.35. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Margo A., Johnson C., Ancill R., Carr T. Assessment of depression by microcomputer. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983 Jun;67(6):434–435. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09724.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. O'Hara M. W., Neunaber D. J., Zekoski E. M. Prospective study of postpartum depression: prevalence, course, and predictive factors. J Abnorm Psychol. 1984 May;93(2):158–171. doi: 10.1037//0021-843x.93.2.158. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Pitt B. "Atypical" depression following childbirth. Br J Psychiatry. 1968 Nov;114(516):1325–1335. doi: 10.1192/bjp.114.516.1325. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Playfair H. R., Gowers J. I. Depression following childbirth--a search for predictive signs. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1981 Apr;31(225):201–208. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. RYLE A. The psychological disturbances associated with 345 pregnancies in 137 women. J Ment Sci. 1961 Mar;107:279–286. doi: 10.1192/bjp.107.447.279. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. TOD E. D. PUERPERAL DEPRESSION. A PROSPECTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY. Lancet. 1964 Dec 12;2(7372):1264–1266. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)92736-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners are provided here courtesy of Royal College of General Practitioners

RESOURCES