SUICIDALITY in the perinatal period: comparison of two self-report instruments. Results from PND-ReScU

The aim of this study was to assess suicidality in a non-clinical sample during the perinatal period and to report suicidality rates in women with major or minor depressive episode (MmD), assessed with the SCID, during the perinatal period. W omen (1,066) were recruited at the third month of pregnancy and followed until the 12th month postpartum ( N = 500). Suicidality was assessed with the MOODS-SR and with item 10 of the EPDS at different time-points during the perinatal period. The period prevalence of suicidality was 6.9% (95% CI: 6.0–7.8) during pregnancy and 4.3% (95% CI: 3.4–5.2) during postpartum, assessed with the MOODS-SR, and was 12.0% (95% CI: 10.8–13.2) during pregnancy and 8.6% (95% CI: 7.4–9.8) during the postpartum period, assessed with the EPDS. The prevalence of suicidality in women who had MmD during pregnancy was 26.4% and 34.1%, assessed with the MOODS-SR and the EPDS, respectively, while it was 18.4% (MOODS-SR) and 30.6% (EPDS) during the postpartum period. Clinicians should assess suicidality in women presenting with MmD during the whole perinatal period. Furthermore, suicidality should be assessed in women with a previous history of psychiatric disorder that reported a lifetime suicidal ideation.