Literature underlines that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was the most common measure to assess pregnancy and postpartum depression worldwide and suggests that the rate of false positive cases is high. Furthermore, the EPDS measures, but not distinguish between depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to value the ability of the Mood Spectrum Self Report Last Month (MOOD SR LM) to detect the rate of false positive obtained with EPDS

We recruited 81 pregnant women at the third month of pregnancy. 32 women were affected by Major Depression (MD) assessed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis I Diagnosis and 49 women had EPDS score ≥ 13 but didn’t reach the diagnosis of MD by SCID I(False posivite group). Women were administered with the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R), MOOD SR-LM, Work and Social Adjustment Scale(WSAS) at the third month of pregnancy.

The two groups wasn't different concerning the average scores using PDPI and EPDS. The WSAS average scores were higher in the depressed women group than in the false positive group. Tree factors of MOOD SR LR (“Depressive Mood”, “Psychomotor Retardation and “Drug/Illness related Depression”) had higher average scores in the depressed women group than in the false positive group.

To our results, MOOD SR LM seem to be able to decrease the false positive cases. Further studies concerning this use of MOOD SR LM are necessary.

Perinatal depression is a particolar challenge to clinicians, and its prevalence estimates are difficult to compare across studies. Furthermore,there are no studies that systematically assessed the incidence of perinatal depression. The aim of this study is to estimate prevalence, incidence, recurrence and new onset of DSM IV minor and major depression (mMD) in an unselected population of pregnant women.

1066 pregnant women were recruited at third month of pregnancy (T0), and minor/major depression (mMD) was assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV disorders (SCID I). The SCID I was administered at baseline evaluation (T0), the Edimburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administered at third, 6th (T1), 8th (T2) month of pregnancy, and the SCID I Mood module was administered to confirme an eventual DSM-IV minor or major depression diagnosis when the EPDS score was≥13.

The pregnancy period prevalence of mMD was 12,4%.The point prevalence of mMD decreased from 8,6% at the 3rd month of pregnancy to 1,7% at the 8th month of pregnancy.The cumulative incidence of mMD was 2,2%. The weighted incidence of new onsets during pregnancy was 1,6%. The weighted percentage of recurrences during pregnancy was 3,7%.

The decline in the point prevalence during the second and third trimester of pregnancy found in our study may be attributed to psychological counselling and/or pharmacological treatment.Further studies about new onsets of depression during pregnancy are highly important in order to improve clinical prediction of risk in any individual woman.

Depression during pregnancy is associated to physical symptoms that can impair the functioning of women; furthermore some of the depression somatic symptoms (i.e., sleep disturbance, fatigue, weight change and appetite) are also features of pregnancy. The overlap of symptomatology can interfere with the identification and the diagnosis of the mood episode. Aim of this study is to compare the the depressive phenomenology and the presence of Axis I comorbidity between pregnant and non pregnant depressed women.

We diagnosed Major Depression (MD) using the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I Diagnosis DSM IV (SCID I) in 32 pregnant women at third month of pregnancy and 87 non pregnant women and we compared the depressive phenomenology in the two groups. Then we administered the Mood Spectrum Self Repost Last Month (MOOD SR-LM) in the two group in order to study the mood spectrum symptomatology.

Pregnant depressed women have higher psychomotor retardation, higher levels of concentration and lower agitation than non pregnant depressed women.

The severity of depression symptoms was similar in the two depressed groups.

Our results agree with current litterature about the presence of psychomotor retardation in depressed pregnant women.

The higher level of concentration in pregnant women could be explained by the high comorbidity with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). In the pregnant depressed women the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Panic Disorder (PD) comorbidity are more rappresentated.

To investigate the predictive role of any specific (DSM-IV) Anxiety Disorders (AD) on depressive symptoms and Major or Minor Depressive Disorder (MDD, mDD) during early postpartum period.

Women (at the 12th-15th gestational week, N=1066) were recruited in the framework of the Program ‘Perinatal Depression - Research & Screening Unit (PND-ReScU)’. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Axis-I disorders (AD, MDD, mDD) were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis-I Disorders (SCID-I).

Any current AD at baseline (3rd month of pregnancy) was detected in 231 (21.7%). Having at least one current AD, was associated with a greater likelihood of having MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period, even after the adjustment for the confounding factor of having a lifetime history of MDD (RR=3.86 95%CI 1.58-9.42).

In particular, women affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (N=17; 1.6%) or Panic Disorder (N=43; 4%) had at higher risk to develop depressive symptoms (EPDS≥13) during the postpartum period than women without these AD (RR=6.9 and 6.7 respectively). As for the risk of developing PPD, the strongest association was found for women with Panic Disorder (RR=7.6 95% CI 2.62-22.0).

AD are associated with a greater likelihood to develop depressive symptoms and MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period. Women with current PD have the strongest risk to develop both MDD or mDD and depressive symptoms during early postpartum period compared to other anxiety disorders.

To investigate the predictive role of any specific (DSM-IV) Anxiety Disorders (AD) on depressive symptoms and Major or Minor Depressive Disorder (MDD, mDD) during early postpartum period.

Women (at the 12th-15th gestational week, N=1066) were recruited in the framework of the Program ‘Perinatal Depression - Research & Screening Unit (PND-ReScU)". Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Axis-I disorders (AD, MDD, mDD) were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis-I Disorders (SCID-I).

Any current AD at baseline (3rd month of pregnancy) was detected in 231 (21.7%). Having at least one current AD, was associated with a greater likelihood of having MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period, even after the adjustment for the confounding factor of having a lifetime history of MDD (RR=3.86 95%CI 1.58-9.42).

In particular, women affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (N=17; 1.6%) or Panic Disorder (N=43; 4%) had at higher risk to develop depressive symptoms (EPDS≥13) during the postpartum period than women without these AD (RR=6.9 and 6.7 respectively). As for the risk of developing PPD, the strongest association was found for women with Panic Disorder (RR=7.6 95% CI 2.62-22.0).

AD are associated with a greater likelihood to develop depressive symptoms and MDD or mDD during the early postpartum period. Women with current PD have the strongest risk to develop both MDD or mDD and depressive symptoms during early postpartum period compared to other anxiety disorders.

Mental disorders occurring in pregnancy need attention and specifically targeted treatments; if untreated, they may have severe consequences, for the woman, for her family, and mostly for the newborn. The woman is at higher risk for suicide; she may increase tobacco, alcohol and substances use, and may frequently develop postpartum depression (Halbreich, 2004).

We aimed to describe the prevalence of Axis I disorders (DSM IV-TR criteria) at the 3rd month of pregnancy in a large non-clinical sample of women.

Women between the 12th and the 15th gestational week were enrolled. A total of 1066 subjects (49.9%) of those eligible (N=2138) signed an informed consent and completed the baseline interview. Standard demographic information were collected and Axis I diagnoses were performed using the SCID-I (First et al, 1995).

Mean age was 32.3 years (±3.9); 280 women (26.3%) had a current Axis I Disorder. Mood and anxiety disorders were the most frequent current diagnoses: Major Depressive Episode (N=34;3.2%); Minor Depression (N=45;4.3%); Specific Phobia (N=114; 10.7%); Panic Disorder (N=43; 4%); Social Phobia (N=41; 3.8%); Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (N=17; 1.6%); Anxiety Disorder NOS (N=29; 2.7%); Generalized Anxiety Disorder (N=20; 1.9%). Current comorbidity between depressive and anxiety disorders was present in 38 women (3.6%).

The sample size and the administration of the SCID, that provides more complete and reliable information about lifetime and current psychiatric history, than instruments used in previous similar studies (Andersson et al., 2003; Spitzer et al., 2000), represent major strengths of the study.

Approximately 10 to 15% of women experience a clinically significant major depressive episode during pregnancy or the early postpartum period.

The hypothesis of study is that feelings of anxiety or depression and lack of social support would be an interference issue in the development of maternal antenatal attachment.

The aims of this thesis were: to assess the specific role of antenatal attachment as risk factor for depression,as anxiety symptoms, during pregnancy.

Symptoms of maternal depression were assessed using the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The Post-partum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R) was used to identify the risk factors for PPD. Prenatal maternal attachment were assessed using the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS). Maternal and paternal antenatal attachment scales. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using STAI-Y.

Our sample is composed by 456 women: the average of the MAAS total scores at T2 was 76.95 ± 6.3, while at T3, the average is 78.54 ± 6.29. Considering the Quality of Attachment subscale MAAS, at T2, the average is 47.2 ± 3.29, while the T3 is 47.71 ± 2.98.

Further studies are needed to replicate our findings and to clarify the role of pre/post natal attachment during pregnancy and its link with Post-Partum Depression in order to identify a specific subgroup of women.

Cox, J.L., 1987. Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item EPDS. Br J Psychiatry Condon, J. T, (1997). The correlates of antenatal attachment in pregnant women arranting special attention.