title: Early postpartum mood as a risk factor for postnatal depression in Nigerian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This report explored early postpartum mood changes and their correlation with postnatal depression in African women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scores on the Maternity Blues Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for 478 women on the fifth day postpartum were compared with the women's Research Diagnostic Criteria diagnosis at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Maternity Blues Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores at day 5 postpartum were found to reliably predict the diagnosis of depression at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  African women at risk of postnatal depression can be identified in the early postnatal period by incorporating simple screening methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, OAUTHC, Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa 233001, Osun State, Nigeria. biodunwuya@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Abiodun O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adewuya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors