Updated
Published screening questionnaire – not a diagnosis
PHQ-9 – Postnatal depression symptoms
Review recent depressive symptoms after birth using the PHQ-9. Sleep disruption and physical recovery can affect answers; a clinician considers the whole picture.
Answers are processed only in this page by this assessment. They are not submitted, monitored or automatically saved. No name, email or account is required. Use a private device and clear your answers when finished.
For adults aged 18 and over. This self-check cannot diagnose or rule out a condition. Concerns about a child require an age-appropriate professional assessment.
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?
Additional context – not included in any questionnaire score
PHQ-9: Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer. The PHQ Screeners materials permit reproduction, display, distribution and electronic use. Scores describe reported symptoms, not a diagnosis or safety assessment. Original instrument and scoring information.
What the assessment is intended to clarify
The clinician considers whether symptoms suggest postnatal depression, another difficulty or more than one concern. Mood, interest, anxiety, functioning, physical recovery and safety all matter. The NIMH perinatal-depression resource explains why symptoms after birth should be understood within the broader clinical picture. A label should help guide care, not define you as a parent.
You may be unsure whether the experience is depression, exhaustion, anxiety or a response to a difficult birth. It is reasonable to ask for help with that uncertainty. The professional should explain the purpose of the appointment and what further assessment might be needed. Administrative questions about appointment availability are separate from the clinical evaluation itself.
Timing helps distinguish the baby blues and persistent difficulties
Note when symptoms began, whether they have eased and how they affect life. Brief emotional changes soon after birth can differ from persistent or severe depression, but you do not need to make that distinction yourself. Symptoms may also begin later rather than immediately after delivery. The NHS postnatal-depression overview explains why the timing and course deserve attention.
Do not wait for a particular number of days when distress is severe or safety is affected. A clinician can assess current needs even while the longer pattern remains unclear. If dates are difficult to remember, use approximate markers such as the first week at home or a period when support changed. Uncertainty should be recorded honestly rather than filled with guesses.
Describe your own sleep and functioning, not only the baby’s routine
The baby may wake frequently, but the assessor also needs to know whether you can rest when there is an opportunity, how alert or exhausted you feel and how sleep affects the day. Marked agitation or a greatly reduced need for sleep can raise different questions from ordinary tiredness. Tell the professional about the whole pattern rather than assume that every sleep problem is expected after birth.
Explain which tasks remain manageable and what has become difficult: eating, decisions, personal care, relationships or leaving home. A person may perform essential care for the baby while neglecting their own needs or feeling deeply distressed. The assessment should consider hidden effort as well as visible functioning. You do not need to wait until every responsibility has become impossible.
Bonding, anxiety and unwanted thoughts can be discussed sensitively
You can describe feeling detached, worried, guilty or overwhelmed without having to prove that the feeling is unusual enough. Some people feel connected to their baby and still have depression; others want support with the relationship itself. A clinician should explore your experience without reducing it to an evaluation of love or commitment.
If thoughts or fears feel embarrassing or frightening, start by saying that they are difficult to talk about. Unwanted thoughts are not automatically intentions, but individual safety needs direct assessment. Do not rely on an online worksheet to interpret them. Ask about confidentiality and how information is used, and seek urgent help if there is a risk of acting on thoughts of harm.
Earlier illness, birth experiences and physical health matter
Mention earlier depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic symptoms or previous perinatal difficulties. Include treatment that helped, medicines that caused problems and changes made during pregnancy or after birth. The clinician may also ask about physical recovery, pain, complications and other medical concerns. These questions help identify suitable care rather than assume that one diagnosis explains everything.
A difficult or frightening birth may be important to discuss without needing a detailed written narrative in advance. You can begin with its present effects and ask how the conversation will be paced. The perinatal-depression guide provides related background when symptoms began in pregnancy. Relevant records can help, but incomplete paperwork should not prevent an appropriate first assessment.
What screening tools can contribute
Professionals may use a suitable depression measure, such as an appropriate version of the EPDS or another instrument, as part of care. The language, intended population and interpretation matter. NICE perinatal guidance places questionnaires within a broader assessment and monitoring process. A score is not a complete diagnosis or a judgement of parenting ability.
The prompts here are deliberately different: they are original notes with no numerical total or threshold. They do not reproduce a validated questionnaire or assess postpartum psychosis. A lower score on another tool should not override serious concerns, and repeated online testing should not delay a conversation. You can seek support without first finding a questionnaire result that feels convincing.
Prepare medication and feeding questions for the right professional
Bring current medication details, the prescriber and any changes already made. Discuss feeding preferences and relevant infant health information when medication is being considered. The professional can explain which issues need specialist or maternity input. Do not stop a medicine or change feeding on the basis of a generic statement that applies to someone else’s situation.
Ask how benefits, possible adverse effects and monitoring will be discussed. The postnatal-depression treatment guide explains the role of therapy, medication and practical support. It does not select a prescription or make a universal breastfeeding safety claim. The assessment should identify a clear decision-maker rather than leave you balancing conflicting advice alone.
Agree support, privacy and a clear next step
Tell the service what would make care accessible, including appointment timing, childcare, language, technology and privacy. Ask whether a partner or trusted person can attend and whether you can also speak alone. Their practical help can be valuable without automatically giving them access to every part of the assessment. The professional should explain relevant confidentiality and safeguarding responsibilities.
After assessment, you should understand the working conclusions, options, initial plan and review arrangements. Care coordination can assist with agreed practical communication where several professionals are involved. Family support can address relatives’ needs separately. Neither should replace a clear clinical lead or make the family responsible for providing treatment.
Recognise when assessment must be urgent
Severe confusion, hallucinations, unusual beliefs, rapidly changing mood, marked agitation or very little need for sleep after birth can indicate a serious condition requiring urgent medical assessment. Suspected postpartum psychosis is an emergency. Immediate danger or an inability to keep yourself or the baby safe requires local emergency services, not an online score or a routine private appointment.
The worksheet does not send alerts, and no clinician is monitoring what you type. For routine concerns, a VAYEMA inquiry can discuss appropriate professionals and arrangements. Urgent maternity or mental-health needs should go directly to the relevant services. You can return to preparation later; there is no benefit in finishing a form before obtaining necessary help.
Frequently asked questions about postnatal self-checks
Does this tool diagnose postpartum depression?
No. It provides unscored prompts for a professional conversation. Diagnosis requires symptoms, history, functioning and other possible explanations to be considered together. The understanding guide explains the broader pattern. You do not need to complete the tool or receive a result before asking for support.
Is this the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale?
No. These are original preparation prompts, not EPDS items and not a substitute version of that instrument. A professional may use an appropriate validated measure within care. Its wording and scoring should not be informally changed or translated and then assumed to retain the same meaning or performance.
Can my partner complete it for me?
A partner can help organise your account with your agreement, but their observations should be distinguished from your experience. They cannot diagnose you through a proxy questionnaire. They can also seek guidance for their own concerns. The assessment should make room for your voice and private discussion where needed.
What if I am too exhausted to fill it in?
Skip it and speak directly with an appropriate professional. A completed worksheet is not an eligibility requirement. You can begin with one sentence about what is difficult and allow the clinician to guide the conversation. Significant exhaustion or inability to manage basic needs should itself be mentioned rather than hidden while you try to prepare perfectly.
Will my notes be sent to VAYEMA?
No. The tool does not submit information or add it to a client record. You may review, clear or deliberately download your notes. Keep any downloaded file private and share it only through an agreed clinical channel. No alert is generated if you describe something urgent in a text box.
Can I ask for help even if I still care for the baby?
Yes. Managing essential tasks does not rule out depression or significant distress. Explain the effort involved, what you cannot manage for yourself and how you feel outside those tasks. The assessment should consider your wellbeing as well as visible functioning, without requiring a crisis or a particular questionnaire score first.
Resources and references
NIMH: perinatal depression and urgent postnatal illness. NHS: postnatal depression symptoms and seeking help. NICE CG192: assessment and monitoring. These preparation prompts are not a validated screening scale or a substitute for clinical care.