The objective of this study was to estimate the community prevalence in Olmsted County, Minnesota of elevated scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a self-report screening tool for postpartum depression. At the 6-week postpartum visit, the scale was administered to women who had given birth between July 1997-March 1998. 5.3% of the 909 subjects indicated experiencing suicidal ideation during the previous week. More than 11% of the women had elevated scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, indicating a high likelihood of postpartum depression & the need for further assessment. The screening process required little extra time & was acceptable to the subjects & clinicians. Screening is appropriate & increases the identification of women suffering from this serious, common, & highly treatable disorder. (24 refs.)