A retrospective audit of joint mother-baby admissions to the Werribee Mercy mother and baby unit (MBU) and of the severity of maternal depression over the course of admission.

Objectives: This study examined (i) the demographic and illness profiles of mothers admitted to Werribee Mercy MBU in Victoria, Australia and (ii) the severity of maternal depressive symptoms over the course of admission.

Method: A retrospective audit was conducted on consecutively admitted mother-baby dyads between January 2011 and June 2015. Routinely collected maternal Beck Depression Inventory, second edition (BDI-II) scores were analysed for severity and change.