Screening for Postnatal Depression in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal Karnataka

Post partum depression is a term used to describe a heterogeneous group of depressive disorders specific to the postpartum period. Onset is usually within 6 weeks after childbirth and symptoms last from 3 -14 months. . In the absence of screening, postpartum depression is under diagnosed by primary care provider, including obstreticians. The global prevalence of postpartum depression has been estimated as 100150 per 1000 births.