Postpartum Mood Disorders


There is Help, It Won’t Last Forever

Pregnancy-Related Mood Disorders

  • It affects 10 – 15% of women during pregnancy
  • One in five mothers will experience depression and/or anxiety after giving birth
  • More common than many people think
  • The experience of mood changes could be seen in three different ways:

1. Baby Blues/or Post-Partum Blues:

  • Affects up to 85% of new mothers
  • Crying spells, feeling sad/irritable
  • Emotional changes worsen after giving birth
  • These symptoms improve on their own within two weeks

2. Post-Partum Depression:

  • More intense mood changes affect the mother’s ability to cope
  • Feeling of hopelessness
  • Anxiety or panic attacks
  • Having the opportunity to sleep but unable to sleep
  • Fearing you might hurt yourself or your baby
  • May develop any time in the first 24 months after birth
  • Have changes in sleeping/eating patterns

3. Post-Partum Psychosis:
Is a serious condition;

  • Have thoughts of harming yourself or the baby
  • Hear or see things that are not there
  • Believe people or things are going to harm you or your baby
  • Feel confused or out of touch with reality
  • Requires immediate help

This questionnaire will assist in identifying the symptoms for post-partum depression.

Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale

Please circle the response that best describes how you felt in the PAST 7 DAYS for every question.
This questionnaire should be repeated monthly.

1. I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things:

0 - As much as I always could
1 - Not quite as much now
2 - Definitely not as much now
3 - Not at all


2. I have looked forward with enjoyment to things:

0 - As much as I ever did
1 - Rather less than I used to
2 - Definitely less than I used to
3 - Hardly at all

3. I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong:

3 - Yes, most of the time
2 - Yes, some of the time
1 - Not very often
0 - No, never

4. I have been anxious or worried for no good reason:

0 - No, not at all
1 - Hardly ever
2 - Yes, sometimes
3 - Yes, very often

5. I have felt scared or panicky for no very good reason

3 - Yes, quite a lot
2 - Yes, sometimes
1 - No, not much
0 - No, not at all

6. Things have been getting on top of me:

3 - Yes, most of the time I haven’t been able to cope at all
2 - Yes, sometimes I haven’t been coping as well as usual
1 - No, most of the time I cope quite well
0 - No, I have been coping as well as ever

7. I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping:

3 - Yes, most of the time
2 - Yes, quite often
1 - Not very often
0 - No, not at all

8. I have felt sad or miserable:

3 - Yes, most of the time
2 - Yes, quite often
1 - Not very often
0 - No, not at all

9. I have been so unhappy that I have been crying:

3 - Yes, most of the time
2 - Yes, quite often
1 - Only occasionally
0 - No, never

10. The thought of harming myself has occurred to me:

3 - Yes, quite often
2 - Sometimes
1 - Hardly ever
0 - Never

If you answered YES to question 10 or your score is greater than 11-12 , immediately contact your Family Physician or any of the Emergency Resources listed in this brochure:

Cox JL, Holden JM & Saqovsky R. Detection of
Post-natal Depression. Development of the 10
item Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale.
British Journal Psychiatry 1987; 150: 782-786

Resources Available in Peel:

  • Hospital Emergency Department
  • Distress Line Peel – 24 Hrs.
    905-278-7208
  • Mobile Crisis Team – Peel – 24 Hrs.
    905-278-9036
  • TeleHealth 1-866-797-0000
    • Tele Type Writer Relay Service -TTY
      (for Hearing Impaired) 1-866-797-0007
  • Peel Public Health:
    • Healthy Babies Healthy
      Children Program 905 799 7700
  • Canadian Mental Health Resources -
    Peel Branch 905-804-0123


Women’s Reproductive Mental Health Program

2200 Eglinton Avenue West
Mississauga, ON L5M 2N1
Tel: (905) 813-1550
Fax: (905) 813-4502