Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency. Treat it like one

istock.com/Satoshi-K

By Professor Paola Dazzan

Perinatal psychiatrist Paola Dazzan argues that postpartum psychosis is too often mistaken for severe depression – a mistake that can cost mothers their lives.

The recent case of Lindsay Clancy, a nurse in Massachusetts, accused of killing her three children before attempting suicide, has drawn public attention to postpartum psychosis (PP), the most severe perinatal mental health condition. Her defence argued that she had been experiencing postpartum psychosis and that the psychiatrists she repeatedly sought help from had failed to recognise it.

Postpartum psychosis is the most severe psychiatric condition associated with childbirth

PP is the most severe psychiatric condition associated with childbirth. Although rare, affecting one to two women per 1,000 births, it is, and should be treated as, a psychiatric emergency, as my colleagues and I argued in a recent international consensus statement calling for it to be recognised as a distinct diagnosis. PP is still too often misdiagnosed, underestimated, or mistaken for either severe postpartum depression or a primary psychotic disorder. The consequences can be devastating for both mother and infant. Early recognition and prompt, evidence-based treatment are critical.