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PURPOSE Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health concern with prevalence of major and minor depression reaching 20% in the first three postpartum months. Sociodemographic and psychopathology correlates of PPD are well-established; however, information on the relationship between premenstrual disorders and the development of PPD is less well-established. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the role of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)/premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) as a risk factor for PPD. METHODS Premenstrual symptoms were assessed retrospectively using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) and depression was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria and assessed using the HDRS. A two-stage screening procedure was applied. In the first stage, the PHQ-9 was employed. In the second stage, women endorsing ≥ 5 symptoms on the PHQ-9 were administered the SCID, HDRS, and PSST. RESULTS Hierarchical linear regression showed that history of depression and PMS/PMDD contributed an additional 2% of the variance (p < .001), beyond that of sociodemographic factor effects. The full model accounted for 13% of the variance in postpartum depressive symptoms. Using logistic regression, a significant association also emerged between PMS/PMDD and PPD (OR=1.97). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that PMS/PMDD is an important risk factor for PPD. Women endorsing a history of PMS/PMDD should be monitored during the perinatal period.

The "postpartum blues" is a mild, predictable mood disturbance occurring within the first several days following childbirth. Previous analyses of the "blues" symptom structure yielded inconclusive findings, making reliable assessment a significant methodological limitation. The current study aimed to explicate the symptom structure of women's mood following childbirth, and to examine psychometric properties of the Daily Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), an adapted version of the Kennerley Blues Questionnaire that included additional items from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Mothers who recently delivered (N = 216) were recruited from a university hospital and asked to complete mood ratings on six consecutive days using the DEQ. Exploratory factor analysis yielded an interpretable two-factor solution identified as Negative Affect and Positive Affect. Scale reliability indices were excellent, with a high level of agreement in factor structure over time. This two-factor model provides reliable assessment of women's mood in the early postpartum, informing the study of reproductive-related mood disorders.

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