Validation of the Bangla version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for a Bangladeshi sample

In developing countries, postnatal depression (PND) is estimated to affect a high proportion of women following childbirth. There are no reliable estimates for the magnitude of the problem in Bangladesh, a country of 140 million people. The lack of a validated Bangla version of screening scale such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has hindered attempts to quantify and address the problem in the country. This study was carried out among Bangladeshi women to validate the Bangla version of the EPDS with the help of a multi-disciplinary research consultative group. A research assistant administered the Bangla EPDS to a convenience sample of 100 mothers at 6-8 weeks postpartum attending an urban childhood immunization clinic. A psychiatrist examined all women using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for DSM-IV diagnosis of depression. Nine (9%) women were found to have depression. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.84). The optimal Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) cut-off score of Bangla EPDS was 10 with a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 87%, positive predictive value of 40%, and negative predictive value of 99%. The Bangla EPDS is thus a valid and reliable screening scale for identifying PND in Bangladesh.