GAD-7 Prenatal Anxiety Screener
Generalized Anxiety Disorder — 7-item scale, validated for obstetric use
Evidence Base
5 source publications · Spitzer et al. 2006 · Kroenke et al. 2007 · ACOG 2018 · Fawcett meta-analysis 2019
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Anxiety disorders affect approximately 10–20% of pregnant women and are frequently underdiagnosed in prenatal care. The GAD-7 is a 7-item self-report instrument with strong psychometric performance (sensitivity 89%, specificity 82% for GAD at threshold ≥10). It is brief enough for routine use at any prenatal visit.
Recommended Screening Timepoints
First prenatal visit
Second trimester (14–27 wks)
Third trimester (≥28 wks)
6-week postpartum visit
Higher-risk groups requiring closer monitoring: advanced maternal age, nulliparous patients, prior adverse pregnancy outcomes.
GAD-7
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following?
Question 1 of 7
Select one answer per item. 0 = Not at all · 1 = Several days · 2 = More than half the days · 3 = Nearly every day
GAD-7 Result
Generalized Anxiety Disorder screening — prenatal assessment
Item Breakdown
Clinical context: 10–20% of pregnant women meet criteria for a clinical anxiety disorder during pregnancy.
The GAD-7 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. A positive screen (score ≥10) warrants a structured clinical
interview. Scores ≥15 indicate severe anxiety requiring prompt evaluation and likely treatment. CBT-I and CBT-based
interventions have the strongest evidence base in perinatal populations.