What the EPDS is

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is a short questionnaire that picks out people who may have depression in pregnancy or after birth, so they can be offered a proper assessment. Cox, Holden and Sagovsky described it in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 1987 as "a 10-item self-report scale (EPDS) to screen for Postnatal Depression in the community". They tested it on 84 mothers and reported that it "can be completed in about 5 minutes and has a simple method of scoring."

It is now used in pregnancy as well as after birth, and a 2020 analysis in the BMJ called it "the most commonly used depression screening tool in perinatal care." The key word is screening: a high score means someone should talk to you properly, not that you have a diagnosis. For the symptoms themselves, see postnatal depression and baby blues.

We have not reproduced the questions: the scale is copyrighted, and even Australia's national guideline prints it "with permission". Your midwife, health visitor or doctor can give you the form, in translation if you need it.

What the 10 questions ask about

The form asks how you have been feeling over the past week, not just today. In outline, the questions cover:

being able to laugh and see the funny side, and looking forward to things
blaming yourself when things go wrong
feeling anxious or worried, and feeling scared or panicky, without good reason
things getting on top of you, and how you have been coping
being so unhappy that you have had trouble sleeping
feeling sad or miserable, and being so unhappy that you have cried
thoughts of harming yourself (question 10).

Questions 3, 4 and 5 are about self-blame, anxiety and panic, and Australia's guideline suggests clinicians consider them when thinking about anxiety, which is very common in this period too; see postpartum anxiety.

How the EPDS is scored

Each question has four answers, scored 0, 1, 2 or 3, with 3 the answer that suggests the most distress. Some questions are reverse-ordered. The ten scores are added together, so totals run from 0 to 30.

NICE, the UK's guideline body, recommends the EPDS or the PHQ-9 questionnaire "as part of a full assessment", and does not set a cut-off score of its own.

EPDS cut-off scores: what counts as a positive screen

There is no single international threshold. The BMJ analysis found cut-offs of 10 or more and 13 or more are the ones most often used. Australia's national guideline, approved by its National Health and Medical Research Council in 2023, sets these:

EPDS scores and what they prompt in Australia's national guideline (2023)
Score	What it prompts
13 or more	Arrange further assessment
10 to 12	Monitor and repeat the EPDS in 2 to 4 weeks
10 or more, for male parents	A lower cut-off is suggested when the EPDS is used with fathers
Any positive answer to question 10	Immediate further mental health assessment, whatever the total

The choice of cut-off is a trade-off. Pooling individual data from 15,557 people in 58 studies, the BMJ analysis found 11 or more gave the best balance: compared with diagnostic interviews, it picked up 81% of people with major depression and correctly cleared 88% of those without. At 13 or more it picked up 66% but cleared 95%. The authors say lower cut-offs suit services that want to miss as few people as possible.

Question 10: what happens if you score on it

Question 10 asks about thoughts of harming yourself, and it is treated separately from the total. Australia's guideline says that regardless of the total score, anyone who scores on it may be at risk of harming themselves or their children, and asks clinicians to "undertake or arrange immediate further mental health assessment and, if there is any disclosure of suicidal ideation, take urgent action". In the US, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that if a parent mentions thoughts of suicide "on a screening form or in conversation, they should receive immediate, emergency mental health services."

Many people fear that being honest will lead to their baby being taken. The NHS answers that directly: "You may be scared that your baby will be taken away if you ask for help or share how you're feeling, but this is very rare."

When you might be asked to fill it in

UK: there is no routine screening programme. The UK National Screening Committee's March 2026 review again did not recommend population screening for antenatal and postnatal mental health. Instead, NICE asks professionals to consider two short questions about low mood and loss of interest at booking and soon after the birth, and the EPDS or PHQ-9 if you answer yes or there is concern. The NHS says that if you raise symptoms, "you may be asked to fill in a questionnaire".

US: the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that birth parents are screened for depression at the 1, 2, 4 and 6-month well-infant visits with a validated tool, and says many paediatricians use the EPDS.

Australia: the national guideline recommends the EPDS for all women, with the first postnatal screen 6 to 12 weeks after birth and at least one more in the first year.

It is a self-report form, so you can fill it in yourself. Take your score, and how you have been feeling, to your GP, midwife or health visitor. In England, if you are 18 or over (16 or over in some areas), you can also refer yourself to NHS talking therapies.

When to call for help now

If you might act on thoughts of harming yourself, or feel you cannot keep yourself or your baby safe, call your emergency number now: 999 in the UK, 112 or 999 in Ireland, 911 in the US and Canada, 000 in Australia or 111 in New Zealand. The NHS: "A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one."

For urgent help that is not an emergency:

UK: call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment. Samaritans answer free on 116 123, day or night, across the UK and Ireland.
US: call or text 988. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, 1-833-TLC-MAMA, is free, confidential and open 24/7 in English and Spanish.
Canada: call or text 9-8-8, 24 hours a day.
Australia: Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the PANDA National Helpline on 1300 726 306, open 7 days a week.
New Zealand: call or text 1737 free, 24/7.

For ongoing support, see our guides to perinatal mental health help in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale?

There is no "normal" score, only thresholds for follow-up. Australia's guideline asks for further assessment at 13 or more and a repeat in 2 to 4 weeks at 10 to 12, and any answer above zero on question 10 needs attention whatever the total. If you are struggling, say so, whatever your score.

Does a high EPDS score mean I have postnatal depression?

No. The EPDS is a screening tool, designed to find people who need a closer look. A high score means a health professional should talk with you; a diagnosis comes from that assessment, not the number. Even at a cut-off of 13, the BMJ analysis found about 5 in 100 people without major depression scored above it.

What is the difference between the EPDS and the PHQ-9?

NICE lists either questionnaire as an option for a full assessment in pregnancy and after birth. The EPDS was built specifically for the postnatal period and asks about the past week. NICE does not rank one above the other, so which you are offered depends on your service.

Can partners and fathers use the EPDS?

Yes. Australia's guideline recommends a lower cut-off of 10 or more when the EPDS is used with male parents, and attention to answers on individual questions. The NHS says fathers and partners can also have depression after having a baby.

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)