Depression prevalence based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale compared to Structured Clinical Interview for DSM DIsorders classification: Systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Estimates of depression prevalence in pregnancy and postpartum are based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) more than on any other method. We aimed to determine if any EPDS cutoff can accurately and consistently estimate depression prevalence in individual studies. METHODS: We analyzed datasets that compared EPDS scores to Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID) major depression status. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to compare prevalence with EPDS cutoffs versus the SCID. RESULTS: Seven thousand three hundred and fifteen participants (1017 SCID major depression) from 29 primary studies were included. For EPDS cutoffs used to estimate prevalence in recent studies (≥9 to ≥14), pooled prevalence estimates ranged from 27.8% (95% CI: 22.0%-34.5%) for EPDS ≥ 9 to 9.0% (95% CI: 6.8%-11.9%) for EPDS ≥ 14; pooled SCID major depression prevalence was 9.0% (95% CI: 6.5%-12.3%). EPDS ≥14 provided pooled prevalence closest to SCID-based prevalence but differed from SCID prevalence in individual studies by a mean absolute difference of 5.1% (95% prediction interval: -13.7%, 12.3%). CONCLUSION: EPDS ≥14 approximated SCID-based prevalence overall, but considerable heterogeneity in individual studies is a barrier to using it for prevalence estimation.

Overestimation of Postpartum Depression Prevalence Based on a 5-item Version of the EPDS: Systematic Review and Individual Participant Data Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The Maternal Mental Health in Canada, 2018/2019, survey reported that 18% of 7,085 mothers who recently gave birth reported "feelings consistent with postpartum depression" based on scores ≥7 on a 5-item version of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS-5). The EPDS-5 was designed as a screening questionnaire, not to classify disorders or estimate prevalence; the extent to which EPDS-5 results reflect depression prevalence is unknown. We investigated EPDS-5 ≥7 performance relative to major depression prevalence based on a validated diagnostic interview, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID). METHODS: We searched Medline, Medline In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, PsycINFO, and the Web of Science Core Collection through June 2016 for studies with data sets with item response data to calculate EPDS-5 scores and that used the SCID to ascertain depression status. We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis to estimate pooled percentage of EPDS-5 ≥7, pooled SCID major depression prevalence, and the pooled difference in prevalence. RESULTS: A total of 3,958 participants from 19 primary studies were included. Pooled prevalence of SCID major depression was 9.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.0% to 13.7%), pooled percentage of participants with EPDS-5 ≥7 was 16.2% (95% CI 10.7% to 23.8%), and pooled difference was 8.0% (95% CI 2.9% to 13.2%). In the 19 included studies, mean and median ratios of EPDS-5 to SCID prevalence were 2.1 and 1.4 times. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence estimated based on EPDS-5 ≥7 appears to be substantially higher than the prevalence of major depression. Validated diagnostic interviews should be used to establish prevalence.

Does Birth-Related Trauma Last? Prevalence and Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress in Mothers and Fathers of VLBW Preterm and Term Born Children 5 Years After Birth.

Previous research suggests that the birth of a preterm child with very low birth weight (VLBW; <1,500 g) can be traumatic for both parents and lead to short-term consequences like clinical levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) or even to the development of a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about possible mid- and long-term psychological consequences in affected parents. The purpose of this study were (a) to examine the prevalence of parental birth-related PTSS and PTSD in a group of parents with VLBW preterm infants compared to parents of full-term infants 5 years after birth and (b) to investigate potential associations with risk factors for parental PTSS at 5 years postpartum. Perinatal factors (VLBW preterm or term, perceived stress during birth), psychological factors (perceived social support and PTSS 4-6 weeks postpartum, psychiatric lifetime diagnosis) and sociodemographic characteristics (number of children, singleton or multiple birth, socio-economic status), were included in the analysis. The sample consisted of 144 families (77 VLBW, 67 term birth) who participated in the prospective longitudinal cohort study "Hamburg study of VLBW and full-term infant development" (HaFEn-study) and were initially recruited at three perinatal care centers in Hamburg, Germany. PTSD prevalence and PTSS of mothers and fathers were assessed with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), social support with the Questionnaire of Social Support (SOZU-K-22), and lifetime psychiatric diagnoses with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID-I). Data were analyzed by hierarchic multiple regression analyses. Results showed that 5 years after birth none of the parents fulfilled the criteria for a birth-related PTSD diagnosis. For mothers, postnatal PTSS and a VLBW preterm birth significantly predicted PTSS 5 years postpartum. For fathers, psychiatric lifetime diagnosis and postnatal PTSS significantly predicted PTSS 5 years after birth. Early identification of parents with higher risk of PTSS, especially after VLBW preterm birth, and their clinical needs seems beneficial to reduce the risk of long-term consequences. More research is needed on the paternal perspective and on potential effects of preterm birth on both parents and their children's mental health outcomes.

Comparison of major depression diagnostic classification probability using the SCID, CIDI, and MINI diagnostic interviews among women in pregnancy or postpartum: An individual participant data meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: A previous individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) identified differences in major depression classification rates between different diagnostic interviews, controlling for depressive symptoms on the basis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. We aimed to determine whether similar results would be seen in a different population, using studies that administered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in pregnancy or postpartum. METHODS: Data accrued for an EPDS diagnostic accuracy IPDMA were analysed. Binomial generalised linear mixed models were fit to compare depression classification odds for the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID), controlling for EPDS scores and participant characteristics. RESULTS: Among fully structured interviews, the MINI (15 studies, 2,532 participants, 342 major depression cases) classified depression more often than the CIDI (3 studies, 2,948 participants, 194 major depression cases; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.21, 11.43]). Compared with the semistructured SCID (28 studies, 7,403 participants, 1,027 major depression cases), odds with the CIDI (interaction aOR = 0.88, 95% CI [0.85, 0.92]) and MINI (interaction aOR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.92, 0.99]) increased less as EPDS scores increased. CONCLUSION: Different interviews may not classify major depression equivalently.

Internalizing symptoms in very low birth weight preschoolers: Symptom level and risk factors from four rating perspectives in a controlled multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Preterm births rates of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW < 1500 g) are increasing. Prematurity poses several risks for emotional child development, e.g., internalizing symptoms. Our understanding of this condition in young children is limited, for at preschool age, symptoms have mostly been assessed from the mother's perspective only. METHODS: As part of the longitudinal HaFEn cohort-study in Hamburg, Germany, we measured the level of internalizing symptoms in VLBW and term preschoolers as well as predictors from four informants' perspectives: mother, father, teacher, and child. A multilevel model was constructed to examine predictors of internalizing symptoms. n = 104 VLBW and n = 79 term children were included. RESULTS: From both their parents' perspective, children with VLBW had a significantly higher level of internalizing symptoms. From the teacher's and child's own perspectives, there were no significant mean group differences. In the multilevel analyses, the results were different regarding the four perspectives. VLBW did not predict internalizing symptoms. From mother's perspective, her own postpartum psychological distress, and from father's perspective, his postpartum and current psychological distress predicted a higher level of internalizing symptoms in their offspring. From teacher's perspective, socio-economic status predicted internalizing symptoms. LIMITATIONS: The sample size was relatively small. Exclusion criteria and drop out of families could have created some selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point to the importance of early identification of parental postpartum psychological distress given the potential for later internalizing symptoms in their children or the perception of their offspring as vulnerable and symptomatic, which may also impact the child's development.

Postpartum posttraumatic and acute stress in mothers and fathers of infants with very low birth weight: Cross-sectional results from a controlled multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The birth of a preterm infant can be stressful and traumatic for parents and may cause posttraumatic stress symptoms and disorders. There is a dearth of data from controlled studies regarding level, prevalence, risk, and predictors of these symptoms in parents after preterm birth. METHODS: As part of the longitudinal HaFEn-study, data from parents of infants with very low birth weight (VLBW), and term infants were cross-sectionally analyzed. We recruited parents at the three largest perinatal care centers in Hamburg, Germany. Posttraumatic stress symptoms were assessed with a standardized questionnaire, and acute and posttraumatic stress disorders with a clinical interview one month postpartum. Stress during birth, lifetime psychiatric diagnoses, social support, pregnancy risks, and mode of delivery were also evaluated. To examine predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms in both parents simultaneously, we constructed multiple random coefficient models. RESULTS: 230 mothers and 173 fathers were included. The risk for acute stress disorder was increased in mothers with VLBW infants but not in fathers. While the risk for posttraumatic stress disorder was not elevated, the level of posttraumatic stress symptoms was higher in both parents with VLBW infants. Predictors for posttraumatic stress symptoms were stress during birth, low social support, psychiatric lifetime diagnoses, the birth of a VLBW infant, and female parent sex. LIMITATIONS: Results reported here are cross-sectional. Thus, no temporal relationships can be established. CONCLUSIONS: Although posttraumatic stress disorders were rare, our results suggest that posttraumatic stress symptoms and acute stress disorders are common in parents of VLBW infants.

Is very low infant birth weight a predictor for a five-year course of depression in parents? A latent growth curve model.

BACKGROUND: A very low birth weight (VLBW) is considered as a significant risk factor for early-onset developmental problems in infants, but is also discussed as a potential risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms in affected parents. METHODS: In this study, the 5-year courses of maternal and paternal depression with VLBW and term born infants (n = 250 families) are modeled and predicted by factors existing at the time of birth. RESULTS: The dyadic trajectories of depression could be best described by five classes (I no depression, II minor maternal depression, III increasing dyadic depression, IV significant maternal depression, V highly depressed mothers). VLBW was a significant predictor for the course of parental depression - even under control of preexisting psychiatric disorders and other confounders. Interaction effects and a dose-response relationship were not existent. LIMITATIONS: Class IV and V had to be merged for the prediction analysis, a missing bias could not be ruled out, and families with a low birth weight (between 2500 and 1500g) were not included. CONCLUSIONS: The results are well in line with what is known from studies so far, suggesting that maternal and paternal trajectories of depression show distinctable patterns which are associated with a VLBW. An early screening of mothers and fathers of a VLBW infant seems reasonable to prevent the development of a depression in parents and further difficulties for the child.

Postpartum anxiety and adjustment disorders in parents of infants with very low birth weight: Cross-sectional results from a controlled multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both preterm delivery and survival rates of very low birth weight (VLBW: <1500 g) infants are increasing. To date, the focus on studies about postpartum mental health after preterm birth has been on depression and on women. There is a paucity of research regarding prevalence, risks, and predictors of postpartum anxiety in parents after VLBW birth. METHODS: Parents with VLBW infants and parents with term infants were recruited into the longitudinal HaFEn-study at the three largest centers of perinatal care in Hamburg, Germany. State anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory and anxiety and adjustment disorders with a clinical interview one month postpartum. Psychiatric lifetime diagnoses, social support, trait anxiety, stress during birth, socioeconomic status, risks during pregnancy, and mode of delivery were also evaluated. To examine predictors of postpartum state anxiety in both parents simultaneously a multiple random coefficient model was used. RESULTS: 230 mothers and 173 fathers were included. The risk for minor/major anxiety symptoms and adjustment disorders was higher in parents with VLBW infants compared to the term group. The risk for anxiety disorders was not higher in parents with VLBW infants. The most important predictors for postpartum state anxiety were high trait anxiety, the birth of a VLBW infant, high stress during birth, and low social support. LIMITATIONS: Data reported here are cross-sectional. Thus, temporal relationships cannot be established. CONCLUSIONS: Our results emphasize the importance of early screening for postpartum anxiety in both parents with VLBW infants.

Very low birth-weight as a risk factor for postpartum depression four to six weeks postbirth in mothers and fathers: Cross-sectional results from a controlled multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth and survival rates of very low birth-weight (VLBW: <1.500g) infants have increased. Although new parents are frequently affected by depressive symptoms, little is known about prevalence, risk, and predictors of parental postpartum depression (PPD) following VLBW birth. Furthermore, most studies assessing PPD in parents of preterm children relied on self-report only. METHODS: As part of the HaFEn cohort-study, data from the index groups of parents with VLBW infants and the control group of parents with term infants were cross-sectionally analysed. Families were recruited at the three largest centres of perinatal medical care in Hamburg, Germany. PPD was evaluated one month postpartum using standardized questionnaires and clinical interviews. Socioeconomic status, social support, risks during pregnancy, and psychiatric lifetime diagnoses were also assessed. A multiple random coefficient model was used to examine predictors of PPD in both parents simultaneously. RESULTS: 230 mothers and 173 fathers were included. Depending on the measure, the risk of being postnatally depressed was 4 to 18 times higher in mothers and 3 to 9 times higher in fathers from the index group. The most relevant risk factor for PPD was the birth of a VLBW infant, followed by female sex, lifetime psychiatric disorder, and low social support. LIMITATIONS: Results presented here, are based on cross sectional data. Therefore no temporal relationships can be established. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the importance of early screening for PPD in both parents of VLBW infants. Factors contributing to developing depression should also be considered in neonatal care.