Postpartum Depression Screening Form

Postpartum Depression Screening Made Simple and Compassionate

The postpartum period is a time of immense change, and not every new mother experiences it the same way. While many navigate the early weeks with typical adjustment challenges, some face more serious mental health concerns like postpartum depression and anxiety. Early identification is critical—and that's exactly what this Postpartum Depression Screening Form is designed to help you achieve.

Whether you're a midwifery practice, obstetric clinic, health visitor service, maternal mental health program, or community healthcare provider, this template gives you a structured, evidence-based way to screen new mothers and connect them with the right support at the right time.

What This Template Includes

This form is built around the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)—the gold standard screening tool used worldwide to identify mothers at risk of postpartum depression. The EPDS is a validated 10-item questionnaire that asks about feelings over the past seven days, with responses scored to identify those who may benefit from further assessment or immediate intervention.

Beyond the EPDS, this template also includes:

• Anxiety screening questions to identify symptoms that often co-occur with postpartum depression
• Support system evaluation to understand who the mother can turn to during this vulnerable time
• Risk factor assessment including birth experience, sleep patterns, and previous mental health history
• Immediate intervention protocols with conditional logic that flags high-risk responses and provides appropriate resources or escalation pathways

The form is designed to be completed by the mother herself, either during a postnatal visit, at home via a secure link, or as part of routine check-ins during the first year postpartum. It's compassionate, non-judgmental, and clear—important qualities when asking sensitive questions during an already overwhelming time.

Why This Matters for Maternal Healthcare Providers

Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 7 women, yet many cases go undetected because mothers may feel ashamed, unsure of what they're experiencing, or unable to articulate their struggles during brief appointments. A standardised screening form ensures that every mother is asked the same evidence-based questions, creating consistency across your practice and reducing the risk that someone slips through the cracks.

For midwives, obstetricians, health visitors, and maternal health coordinators, this form provides:

• A clinically validated screening process that aligns with NICE guidelines and best practice recommendations
• Automatic scoring based on responses, so you can quickly identify who needs follow-up
• Flagging for high-risk responses, such as thoughts of self-harm, which trigger immediate action protocols
• A clear record of each mother's mental health status over time, supporting continuity of care

For mental health professionals and counselors working with postpartum populations, this form helps you gather essential background information before the first session, so you can focus your time on therapeutic support rather than intake logistics.

How Paperform Makes This Screening Seamless

Paperform transforms what could be a paper-based checklist into a smart, responsive screening tool that works for both your team and the mothers you serve.

Conditional logic ensures that if a mother answers in a way that indicates high risk—such as endorsing thoughts of self-harm—the form can immediately display crisis resources, hotline numbers, or instructions to contact a provider urgently. You can also route different confirmation messages based on score thresholds, offering reassurance to those with low scores and clear next steps to those who need more support.

Calculations allow the form to automatically tally EPDS scores and display results to you (and optionally to the respondent), so clinical staff can quickly prioritise follow-up based on severity. No manual adding required.

Secure data handling with SOC 2 Type II compliance and GDPR alignment means sensitive mental health information is stored safely and can be integrated into your existing records system via Stepper workflows, which can push submissions to your EHR, create tasks in your care management platform, or send alerts to the right team members.

For practices that want to stay connected, follow-up forms can be scheduled and sent automatically at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, helping you monitor each mother's journey and intervene early if scores worsen over time.

A Tool That Supports, Not Replaces, Clinical Judgment

This form is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. It's designed to flag potential concerns and guide conversations, not to replace the expertise and compassion of trained healthcare providers. The EPDS is widely recognized as a reliable first step, but it works best when paired with clinical follow-up and holistic support.

By using this template, you're creating a consistent, evidence-based foundation that helps you spot warning signs, start important conversations, and ensure that no mother is left to struggle alone.

Trusted by Maternal Health Providers Who Put Mothers First

Paperform is trusted by over 500,000 teams worldwide, including healthcare providers, mental health services, and nonprofit organizations supporting maternal wellbeing. With features like custom branding, secure embeds, encrypted submissions, and flexible integrations, you can make this form feel like a natural extension of your care pathway.

Whether you're a solo midwife, a hospital maternity unit, or a community perinatal mental health team, this template gives you a professional, compassionate, and clinically sound way to screen for postpartum depression—and connect mothers with the care they deserve.

If you want to take your maternal health workflows even further, explore Stepper to automate referrals, care coordination, and follow-up scheduling based on screening results, keeping your team connected and mothers supported every step of the way.