Postpartum psychosis
Postpartum psychosis is a rapidly evolving severe mental illness, usually beginning in the first 2 weeks after birth, with psychotic and affective symptoms that require immediate specialist assessment, urgent risk management and usually inpatient treatment.
Definition
Postpartum psychosis is a severe mental illness with rapid onset in the immediate postnatal period, characterised by psychotic symptoms with prominent affective disturbance such as mania, depression or a mixed state, often with perplexity or confusion. It requires urgent specialist assessment because it can rapidly compromise the safety and care of the woman and infant.
First principles
A postnatal psychiatric emergency
Postpartum psychosis can become severe within hours or days and is characterised by psychotic symptoms with prominent affective change, often mania, depression or a mixed state. It is not the same as baby blues or routine sleep deprivation. Sudden postpartum hallucinations, delusions, mania, marked confusion or inability to sleep require immediate specialist mental-health assessment.
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