In plain words
The PHQ-9 is a short questionnaire about mood. It has nine questions, each about how often you have had a symptom over the last two weeks. Examples include low interest, low mood, poor sleep, and trouble concentrating. Your answers add up to a score. Higher scores suggest more depression symptoms. It is a screening tool, so a high score means a conversation with your provider, not a diagnosis by itself. Many providers use it during pregnancy and at postpartum visits. You can ask what your score means and what the next steps are. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text now.
The deeper version
The PHQ-9 is a nine-item self-report instrument derived from DSM criteria for major depressive disorder, with a total score from 0 to 27 (Kroenke, Spitzer, and Williams, 2001). A score of 10 or more is commonly used as the threshold for further evaluation, with reported sensitivity and specificity for major depression around 0.88 in primary care validation. ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4 (2023) recommends screening with validated tools, including the PHQ-9 or the . The item on thoughts of self-harm requires immediate clinical follow-up when endorsed. Perinatal cutoffs may differ from general adult cutoffs, and screening results do not substitute for diagnostic interview.
Where it comes up
- Postpartum depressionPostpartum: Mind
- Depression during pregnancyPregnancy: Mind and Life
- The six-week checkup (and why it isn't enough)Postpartum: Your Body
- When to get help, and who to call tonightPostpartum: Mind
- What a partner does in the first weeksSupport, Home, and Village
What mothers here say about PHQ-9
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Sources
- Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB — The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2001
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Clinical Practice Guideline No. 4: Screening and Diagnosis of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum (2023)