Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is a severe mental health condition that can affect mothers after giving birth. Learn why immediate diagnosis and treatment is essential.

Giving birth is accompanied by many natural physical and emotional changes. However, if a woman experiences disturbing thoughts or extreme mood swings soon after her baby is born, she may havepostpartum psychosis.

What Is Postpartum Psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis, also known as puerperal psychosis, is a rare but severemental health conditionthat can affect new mothers.Postpartum psychosiscommonlybegins within the first two-three daysafter childbirth and can make caring for a newborn very difficult.

However,postpartum psychosiscan appearup to three months after giving birth. If left untreated, postpartum psychosis can lead to suicide or harm to the baby. Due to the severity of symptoms,quick diagnosis and treatmentare needed to protect the safety and well-being of the mother and baby. Althoughpostpartum psychosissymptoms are severe, episodes generally last onlyone to two and a half monthswith proper treatment.

Feelings of depression can lead to suicidal thinking.If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies, call theNational Suicide Prevention Hotlineat1-800-273-8255.

Postpartum Psychosis vs. Postpartum Depression

Postpartum psychosisis far less common thanpostpartum depression, which affects10%–13% of new mothers.Postpartum psychosisalso has different and more severe symptoms that are not present duringpostpartum depression, including hallucinations and delusions. Due to these symptoms, treatment for postpartum psychosis is more intense and can include hospitalization.

Symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis

Symptomsof postpartum psychosisinclude:

• Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
• Delusions (unusual beliefs that are not true)
• Paranoia
• Confusion
• Mood swings
• Difficulty sleeping
• Extreme excitement
• Feeling unsettled
• Racing, disorganized thoughts
• Feeling disconnected from the world
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Causes of Postpartum Psychosis

Although the exactcauses of postpartum psychosisare unknown, medical professionals believe thatseveral factors are involved, including:

• Hormone changes
• Pregnancy complications
• Extreme stress
• Substance abuse
• Sleep deprivation
• The immune system
• Discontinuing psychiatric medications

Risk Factors

Some identifiedrisk factors for postpartum psychosisinclude:

• Personal or family historyof mental health conditions such asbipolar disorderorschizophrenia
• Postpartum psychosisepisode with aprevious pregnancy
• Being afirst-time mom

However, more than half of women who developpostpartum psychosishaveno history of mental health conditions.

Diagnosing Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosisis considered a medical emergency that requires rapiddiagnosisand treatment due to the risk of suicide or infant harm.

Several screening methods are used to diagnosepostpartum psychosis. The“Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale” and “Mood Disorder Questionnaire,” lists of questions administered during postnatal visits, can be used by doctors todiagnosepostpartum psychosis.

Women with a personal or family history of mental health conditions should discuss the risk ofpostpartum psychosiswith their doctors and should be closely monitored after giving birth. Rare medical conditions can also mimicpostpartum psychosis, so blood tests, urine tests and brain scans are also needed to ensure another disease is not causing the symptoms.

Postpartum psychosisis currently not recognized as a distinct mental health condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). Instead, doctors add the wording “with postpartum onset” to “brief psychotic disorder,” or to another mental health condition if symptoms occur within four weeks of childbirth.

Statistics on Postpartum Psychosis

Therate of postpartum psychosisis between0.89 and 2.6 per 1000 birthswhen measured across several countries, including the United States, Nigeria, Denmark, India and Sweden.

The average age of women withpostpartum psychosisis26.3 yearswhen many women are having their first child.Suicide is observed in 5%of women withpostpartum psychosis, highlighting the importance of proper diagnosis and treatment.

Postpartum Psychosis and Co-Occurring Disorders

According to theDSM-5,postpartum psychosismay be classified as a severe form ofmajor depressionor the beginning of another mental health condition, such asschizophrenia.

However,researchers now believethatpostpartum psychosisis linked tobipolar disorder. Despite these complications, women who experiencepostpartum psychosisalong with a co-occurring disorder have agood prognosis.

For women withbipolar disorder,75%–86% remained symptom-freeafter a single episode ofpostpartum psychosis. For women withschizophrenia,50% remain symptom-freeafter a single episode ofpostpartum psychosis.

Postpartum Psychosis Treatment

After diagnosis,postpartum psychosistreatment should begin immediatelyto protect the mother and baby. Initial hospitalization is common while creating a treatment plan. Once symptoms are under control,postpartum psychosiscan be mitigated with a combination of therapy and medication.

Treatment for postpartum psychosis can include:

• Talk therapy
• Antipsychotic medications
• Antidepressant medications
• Antiepileptic medications
• Electroconvulsive therapy

Althoughpostpartum psychosisis a serious condition, with treatment, mothers usually have a favorable prognosis, recover quickly and do not experience long-term problems.

If you or a loved one is struggling withdrug or alcohol addiction and co-occurring postpartum psychosis, The Recovery Village can help. You can receive comprehensive treatment for these co-occurring disorders from one of ourfacilities located throughout the country. To learn more about treatment programs,call The Recovery Villageto speak with a representative today.