Postpartum Psychosis Definition

Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental illness that should be treated as a medical emergency. The period after childbirth can be a devastating time to experience a severe mental illness.

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For women who experience pp their partners friends and family it can be hard to find high quality information about the symptoms causes and treatment.

Postpartum psychosis definition. Its one of the most severe forms of mental illness there is but there can be recovery with the right treatment. If not treated immediately you can get rapidly worse and could neglect or harm your baby or yourself. Look it up now.

Postpartum psychosis is a rare psychiatric emergency in which symptoms of high mood and racing thoughts depression severe confusion loss of inhibition paranoia hallucinations and delusions set in beginning suddenly in the first two weeks after childbirth. Postpartum psychosis or puerperal psychosis is a rare but serious and potentially life threatening mental health issue. A very serious mental illness that can affect a new mother.

It takes the form of severe depression or mania or both. My baby psychosis and me tuesday bbc1 1145pm documentary revealing the frightening rollercoaster journey of two mums one of whom is hannah pictured with partner andy and little esther for whom childbirth triggers postpartum psychosis. Those with high risk from postpartum psychosis should have a support team monitoring their state during the pregnancy and after childbirth.

For the small number of women who experience postpartum psychosis it occurs in the first three months after birth. If not treated immediately you can get rapidly worse and could neglect or harm your baby or yourself. If youre expecting to experience postpartum psychosis after childbirth specialist care during the pregnancy as well as consultations with a psychiatrist are a good way to support mental health.

There is no evidence that the babys long term development is affected by postpartum psychosis. Shiel jr md facp facr postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis is a severe mental illness characterized by extreme difficulty in responding emotionally to a newborn baby it can even include thoughts of harming the child.

Medical definition of postpartum psychosis medical author.

The Issue Maternal Mental Health Alliance