Use of Whooley Questions and GAD-2 Tools in Screening for Perinatal Mental Health: Current Expert Considerations.

Background/objectives: Mental health screening of perinatal women is recommended as an essential element of routine maternity health care. Knowledge of screening conditions in healthcare settings as indicated by NICE is limited. This scoping review examines current expert considerations in the scientific literature on the use of Whooley questions and GAD-2 tools in screening for women's perinatal mental health.

Methods: The search included literature in English published prior to April 2023. Searches in PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Scilit, and Google Scholar used the terms "Whooley questions" and "GAD-2".

Results: A total of 9 articles on studies using both of these tools were included. During pregnancy, rapid screening instruments permit the identification of women at increased risk for postpartum depression. They also detect continuity between depressive or anxious symptoms during pregnancy and depressive symptoms after delivery. Effectiveness compares favorably to that of some lengthier screening instruments. Rapid self-report tools appear to be most suitable for initial screening. They are indicative only of perinatal mental health and have no diagnostic value. In the individual studies considered in this review, the reliability and sensitivity of the Whooley questions and GAD-2 are unclear. Because of their self-reporting nature, outcomes may be subject to recall bias.

Conclusions: Future evaluation of the instruments' performance over the perinatal period is needed.