Sensitivity and specificity of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire as a screening tool for bipolar disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that one-quarter of women with bipolar disorder relapse during pregnancy, and nearly half of bipolar women relapse during the postpartum period. The perinatal period is also associated with an elevated risk for new-onset mood disorder. Bipolar disorder is often unrecognized, and there is often a significant delay between illness onset and proper diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this …