Free Postnatal Depression Test Online (PHQ-9) Australia
A confidential screen for low mood in pregnancy and the first year after birth. Free, clinically validated, and yours to take to your GP, midwife or child health nurse. - serving Australia
Perinatal depression is depression that occurs during pregnancy (antenatal) or in the first year after birth (postnatal). Up to 1 in 6 Australian mothers experience depression in this period, and rates of perinatal anxiety are similar. It is a recognised medical condition, not a reflection of being a bad parent or a failure to cope.
Baby Blues or Postnatal Depression?
Baby blues affect up to 80% of new mothers in the first 2 weeks after birth, and lift on their own. Postnatal depression is different: the low mood, anxiety or exhaustion persists beyond 2 weeks and starts to interfere with caring for yourself or your baby.
Things people commonly describe:
- Low mood or tearfulness that does not lift, even on a good day
- Exhaustion that rest does not touch, beyond the ordinary tiredness of a new baby
- Difficulty bonding with the baby, or feeling numb or detached where you expected to feel close
- Constant worry about the baby's feeding, sleep, breathing or safety
- Loss of interest in things that used to matter to you
- Feeling guilty, inadequate, or that your family would manage better without you
- Sleeping poorly even when the baby is settled, or sleeping far more than usual
Intrusive Thoughts Are Common, and Treatable
Many parents have sudden, unwanted thoughts of accidental harm coming to their baby. These are a recognised feature of perinatal anxiety and perinatal OCD, they affect up to 1 in 10 new mothers, and they are not predictive of action. The distress comes precisely because the thoughts are so out of character. They are highly treatable once named, and worth speaking about openly rather than carrying alone. Read more on our perinatal mental health page.
Depression in Pregnancy
Antenatal depression is often missed because the symptoms get attributed to pregnancy itself. Poor sleep, low energy and appetite changes are easy to explain away. It responds well to treatment that is safe in pregnancy, so it is worth raising rather than waiting to see whether it passes.
Partners Matter Here
Partners often notice a change before the person experiencing it does, and they can be affected too. At Lionheart, partners are welcome to join appointments where you would like them to, and telehealth makes that straightforward.
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is one of the most widely used depression screening tools in the world. It is used by GPs, psychiatrists and researchers to gauge the severity of depression symptoms, and it is used in perinatal care alongside other tools. It is clinically validated, it is free to use, and it is what powers the screen on this page.
What About the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale?
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the standard screening questionnaire used in Australian maternity care. If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, your midwife, GP or child and family health nurse has very likely offered it to you, or will. The EPDS is copyright the Royal College of Psychiatrists and is not reproduced online here.
Lionheart's free online screen uses the PHQ-9 instead. The two tools are not in competition: the PHQ-9 is clinically validated and widely used in perinatal care alongside the EPDS, and a PHQ-9 result is something your GP, midwife or maternity team will readily understand. If you have already completed an EPDS with your maternity service, bring that result along too. More than one data point helps.
How This Screen Works
The PHQ-9 asks about 9 depression symptoms experienced over the past 2 weeks, drawn from DSM-5 criteria. You rate each one from "Not at all" to "Nearly every day". It takes most people 4 to 6 minutes.
Scoring and Interpretation
- 0-4: Minimal Depression (no treatment typically needed)
- 5-9: Mild Depression (monitor symptoms, self-care strategies)
- 10-14: Moderate Depression (consider counseling or treatment)
- 15-19: Moderately Severe Depression (treatment recommended)
- 20-27: Severe Depression (professional treatment recommended)
One note specific to this stage of life: the PHQ-9 asks about sleep, appetite and energy, and pregnancy and a new baby disrupt all three for reasons that have nothing to do with depression. That can nudge a score upward. It is one of the reasons a score is a starting point for a conversation and never a conclusion on its own.
Question 9
Question 9 asks about thoughts of self-harm. If you indicate these, crisis support details are displayed for you straight away, including PANDA and Lifeline. This is information offered to you, not a report made about you.
Specialist Perinatal Care at Lionheart
Dr Joanna Blades is a Child, Adolescent and Perinatal Psychiatrist who works with women from pre-conception planning through pregnancy and the first year after birth. Telehealth suits this stage well: no travel with a newborn, appointments that fit around feeds and naps, and partners able to join from wherever they are. You can read how the service works on our perinatal psychiatry page.
Anonymous Start
Begin without creating an account. Your progress saves as you go.
Immediate Results
See your score and what it means as soon as you finish.
Crisis Resources
PANDA, Lifeline and emergency contacts shown if Question 9 indicates them.
Downloadable Report
Create an account to save your results and download a PDF for your GP, midwife or child health nurse.
The PHQ-9 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test, and it is not a substitute for the screening your maternity service offers. A raised score means there may be something worth discussing, nothing more. Only a qualified GP, psychiatrist or psychologist can make a clinical diagnosis.
If your results suggest depression, we suggest:
- Sharing the result with your GP, midwife, obstetrician or child and family health nurse
- Asking about a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist if that seems useful
- Arranging a full clinical assessment, where the score is one input among many
Lionheart provides non-acute psychiatric care. Postpartum psychosis, which involves rapid onset of confusion, hallucinations, delusions or severe mood changes in the weeks after birth, is a medical emergency. Call 000 or attend an emergency department. The same applies if you are unable to care for yourself or your baby, or you are having thoughts of ending your life.
Is this the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)?
No. The EPDS is the standard screening questionnaire in Australian maternity care and is copyright the Royal College of Psychiatrists, so it is not reproduced online here. This page uses the PHQ-9, a clinically validated depression screen that is widely used in perinatal care alongside the EPDS. Your midwife, GP or child and family health nurse can offer you the EPDS, and if you have already completed one, bring that result to your appointment as well.
How do I know if this is baby blues or postnatal depression?
Baby blues affect up to 80% of new mothers in the first 2 weeks after birth and resolve on their own. Postnatal depression involves low mood, anxiety, exhaustion or difficulty bonding that lasts more than 2 weeks and interferes with caring for yourself or your baby. If you are unsure, it is worth an assessment. Early treatment makes a real difference.
Can I take this while I am still pregnant?
Yes. Depression during pregnancy, known as antenatal depression, is common and often missed because the symptoms get put down to pregnancy itself. It responds well to treatment that is safe in pregnancy, so it is worth raising early rather than waiting.
I keep having horrible thoughts about my baby being hurt. What does that mean?
Intrusive thoughts of accidental harm to your baby are a recognised feature of perinatal anxiety and perinatal OCD. They affect up to 1 in 10 new mothers and are not predictive of action. The distress comes precisely because the thoughts are so out of character. This is highly treatable once it is correctly identified, and worth speaking about openly with a perinatal psychiatrist.
Will a high score be reported to anyone, or affect my baby?
No. This is a self-screening tool. Nothing is reported to any service, and a score does not trigger any action about you or your baby. The result is yours, to share with whomever you choose. Seeking help for perinatal mental health is ordinary healthcare, and treatment improves outcomes for both parent and baby.
Can this test diagnose postnatal depression?
No. The PHQ-9 identifies adults who may have depression symptoms worth discussing. Only a qualified GP, psychiatrist or psychologist can make a clinical diagnosis. At Lionheart, every booking is reviewed by our clinical director, so a clinician looks at your situation as a whole rather than at a number.
Ready to Take the Screen?
Free, confidential, clinically validated. A few minutes, and a result you can take to your GP or midwife.
Need immediate support? If you're experiencing a crisis:
- PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia): 1300 726 306 (National helpline for expecting and new parents)
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 (24/7)
- Emergency Services: 000 (immediate danger)