Postpartum Depression Checklist (Scorable PDF)
Symptoms, Screening Tool & Mood Assessment
Postpartum depression is a common but often under-recognized condition that can affect emotional well-being, physical health, and daily functioning after childbirth. This comprehensive postpartum depression checklist is designed to help monitor mood, identify early warning signs, and track both psychological and physical symptoms over time. The scorable format allows for objective measurement, while the included bell curve comparison provides insight into how symptom levels compare to population trends. The detailed analysis below can help guide next steps and support early intervention when needed.
Postpartum Depression Mood Monitoring Checklist
This postpartum mood checklist is designed to help monitor symptoms that may suggest postpartum depression, anxiety, emotional overload, or stress-related impairment. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace care from a physician, therapist, OB/GYN, psychiatrist, or emergency provider.
Client Information
Important Safety Item
If the person completing this form has thoughts of harming themselves, the baby, or someone else, or feels unable to stay safe, this should be treated as urgent. Contact emergency services, a crisis line, or a medical provider immediately.
Scoring Instructions
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Not at all |
| 1 | Several days |
| 2 | More than half the days |
| 3 | Nearly every day |
Postpartum Mood Checklist
Results will appear here after scoring.
Scoring Table
| Total Score | Interpretation | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0–9 | Minimal range | Continue monitoring mood, sleep, support, and physical recovery. |
| 10–19 | Mild to moderate concern | Discuss symptoms with therapist, OB/GYN, primary care physician, or postpartum care provider. |
| 20–39 | Moderate to high concern | Clinical follow-up is recommended. Assess depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, support, and safety. |
| 40–60 | High concern | Prompt clinical evaluation is recommended. If safety concerns are present, seek urgent help. |
Postpartum Depression Bell Curve / Population Comparison
Large studies and meta-analyses estimate that postpartum depression affects approximately 10–20% of postpartum women globally, with one large global meta-analysis estimating approximately 17.22%. This curve is an educational comparison model, not a diagnostic population norm.
Physical Symptoms Often Associated With Postpartum Depression
- Severe fatigue or exhaustion
- Sleep disturbance beyond normal infant-care disruption
- Appetite changes
- Body aches, headaches, stomach discomfort, or muscle tension
- Reduced energy or slowed movement
- Feeling physically unable to keep up with daily demands
Psychological Symptoms Often Associated With Postpartum Depression
- Sadness, tearfulness, or emotional heaviness
- Loss of pleasure or emotional numbness
- Excessive guilt, shame, or self-criticism
- Anxiety, panic, or persistent worry
- Intrusive, unwanted, or frightening thoughts
- Hopelessness or fear that things will not improve
- Difficulty bonding or feeling emotionally connected
Clinical Notes / Observations
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2023). Screening and diagnosis of mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum.
Levis, B., Negeri, Z., Sun, Y., Benedetti, A., & Thombs, B. D. (2020). Accuracy of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for screening to detect major depression among pregnant and postpartum women. BMJ, 371, m4022.
Wang, Z., Liu, J., Shuai, H., Cai, Z., Fu, X., Liu, Y., Xiao, X., Zhang, W., Krabbendam, E., Liu, S., Liu, Z., Li, Z., & Yang, B. X. (2021). Mapping global prevalence of depression among postpartum women. Translational Psychiatry, 11, 543.
Lyubenova, A., Neupane, D., Levis, B., Wu, Y., Sun, Y., He, C., Krishnan, A., Bhandari, P. M., Negeri, Z., Benedetti, A., & Thombs, B. D. (2021). Depression prevalence based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale compared to structured clinical interview for major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 1019–1027.
Postpartum Support International. (n.d.). Screening recommendations for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
Double Board Certified Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist
Mark Zauss, LMHC, LPC, CCMHC, NBCC, BC-TMC, ADHD-CCSP, C-DBT, CCTP