Longitudinal Measurement Invariance Of Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Across Pregnancy And Puerperium

Objective To explore longitudinal measurement invariance of Edinburgh postnatal depression scale across pregnancy and puerperium,and to investigate the current status and main characteristics of depression in pregnant women,so as to analyze the relationship between EPDS score and demographic characteristics in different gestation,age,educational level and family income level.Methods EPDS scale and self-designed questionnaire were utilized to investigate 120 pregnant women of outpatient department and 117 puerpera of obstetrics department selected by convenience sampling in a hospital of Wuhan.The exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze the datas of postpartum group and the prenatal group.And then multiple group confirmatory factor analysis was adopted to analyze measurement equivalence across pregnancy and puerperium.Finally a descriptive analysis of the general data of the cross-sectional study was carried out.Result In four level nested models,all the RMSEA and SRMR were less than 0.08,and all the NNF and CFI were greater than 0.90,Edinburgh postnatal depression scale had the configural equivalence,weak equivalence,strong equivalence and strict equivalence across pregnancy and puerperium.30% of pregnant women achieved prenatal depression with a critical score of 9.5(36/120).The difference of scores of 10 items was statistic significant(P<0.01),The 3 higher scores were ranked by insomnia,self-blame and depression.There were significant differences in EPDS scores between age 35 and age< 35 years and different levels of education of pregnant women(P<0.05).There were significant differences in EPDS scores between age 35 and age<35 years and different levels of education of pregnant women(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in EPDS scores between pregnant women with different gestational age and different income levels(P>0.05).Conclusion The Edinburgh postpartum depression scale has a complete measurement equivalence between the prenatal and postnatal groups,which can be used as an effective tool for screening prenatal depression.Prenatal depression is so common that it is worth the attention of health care workers and medical staff.20% of the pregnant women in the pregnant period,with high birth risk,is worthy of long-term detection and observation.The depression of women in pregnancy has nothing to do with the level of pregnancy and family income,but is effected by their age and their education.