Is low literacy a risk factor for symptoms of depression in postpartum women?

Objective: To determine if postpartum women with limited literacy are at higher risk for depression symptoms than women with adequate literacy.

Study Design: We interviewed women during their postpartum hospitalization following delivery of a healthy infant to collect baseline demographic data and assess literacy skills. We contacted these women by phone 6-10 weeks postpartum and administered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), using scores > or = 9 to indicate symptoms of postpartum depression.