Postpartum Depression And Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum depression is one of the most commons disorders in the early few weeks of child birth. According to the American Psychology Association almost 1 in 7 women are Likely to inherit the disorder. Postpartum depression is caused by the rapid drop of estrogen and progestrone hormone following the birth of a child. The effects include excessive crying without reasoning, irritability, anxiety, loss of memory, and the inability to focus. Within the early weeks of child birth it is expected for a mother embrace her baby however;  The symptoms of postpartum depression can cause intrusive thoughts that can harm both mother and child. Many women suffer from the postpartum due to the lack of a support system. It is likely that if a mother doesn't

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis are “delusions or strange beliefs, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there), feeling very irritated, decreased need or inability to sleep, paranoia, rapid mood swings and difficulty communicating at times”. (“Postpartum Psychosis”, 2009)

Postpartum depression, which is the most prevalent of all maternal depressive disorders, is said to be the hidden epidemic of the 21st century. (1) Despite its high prevalence rate of 10-15% and increased incidence, postpartum depression often goes undetected, and thus untreated. (2) Nearly 50% of postpartum depression cases are untreated. As a result, these cases are put at a high risk of being exposed to the severe and progressive nature of their depressive disorder. (3) In other words, the health conditions of untreated postpartum depression cases worsen and progress to one of their utmost stages, and they are: postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum panic disorder, postpartum post traumatic stress, and postpartum psychosis.

It is a rare illness that occurs in approximately 1 to 2 per 1000 women after childbirth. Its presentation is often dramatic, with onset of symptoms as early as the first 48 to 72 hours after delivery. The majority of women with puerperal psychosis develop symptoms within the first two postpartum weeks. Symptoms of postpartum physics often include delusions or strange beliefs, hallucinations, decreased need for or inability to sleep, paranoia and suspiciousness. The most significant risk factors for postpartum psychosis are a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, or a previous psychotic episode. Postpartum psychosis is different from the baby blues; 70% of new mothers experience the baby blues, which is a short-lasting condition that does not impact their daily functioning and does

[Daley et al.] states that symptoms of postpartum depression include decreased mood, fatigue, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm and poor mother-infant interactions(change wording). Women with post-partum depression have been reported to be at an increased risk for substance abuse, are more likely to miss gynecological and child health appointments, are more non-compliant with medical recommendations and are less likely to use preventative safety items like car seats and outlet covers (Ersek). Researchers state that women with postpartum depression are less likely to breastfeed and more

Postpartum depression is not as prevalent as the ?baby blues?, but it is much more debilitating and serious. Beck (2016) explains in her article

Postpartum depression is a form of depression that occurs in new mother. Some symptoms include weight and appetite changes, feelings of hopelessness and sadness, sleep problems and loss of pleasure from daily activities. Some possible triggers include lack of sleep, feeling overwhelmed and stress. Women who have previously experienced depression may be more at risk. Fathers can also suffer from postpartum depression. Reduce your risk of postpartum depression by taking care of yourself during your pregnancy. Eat a proper diet, with plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. Exercise when you feel up to it. Eliminate stress in your life. Learn deep breathing techniques, practice meditation or take up yoga. To help reduce the likelihood that postpartum depression will occur, establish a plan for reducing stress after the birth. The new responsibility of an infant may require you to lean on others for support. Plan how you will divide childcare responsibilities. For instance, you could take turns with the father to handle nighttime feeding. You could also ask family members to baby-sit once per week. Make sure plenty of people will be there to surround you and support you after the birth of your child, such as friends and family members. Consider joining a support group for new mothers. Financial difficulties may also cause stress after the baby is born. Before the birth, develop a financial strategy. You may have to cut back on your expenses. Ask other

However, there are risk factors that may influence someone getting postpartum depression. “Younger mothers are at an increased risk for PPD compared to those who give birth later in life. Other factors that increase the risk a woman will experience PPD after giving birth include financial troubles, relationship problems with a spouse or partner, physical abuse, and tobacco use”. (Black & Tish). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “the drastic drop in the hormones, estrogen and progesterone, following childbirth may lead to chemical changes in the brain which can cause mood swings.” On top of this change in hormones the mother is recovering from childbirth and may be faced with physical exhaustion. Current research has demonstrated that a compilation of stressors such as biochemical, genetic, and psychosocial may attribute to the development of this mental disorder. Other risk factors for development of postpartum depression include symptoms of depression before or after pregnancy, bipolar disorder, medical complication during childbirth, and family history of postpartum depression. (2015 Postpartum) It is important to know the risk factors for postpartum

Postpartum Depression is a term that people know by name, but are not necessarily familiar with. For me, a recent incident involving an acquaintance prompted my interest in finding out more.

There have been many changes made to the criterion for PPD since its inclusion in the DSM-IV and DSM-5. Currently, in the DSM-5, PPD is classified under depressive disorders. It is listed as a specifier under “peripartum disorders,” stating that the onset of mood symptoms occur during pregnancy or in the 4 weeks following delivery. In the DSM-IV, it is classified under mood disorders. The DSM-IV included a “criteria for Postpartum onset specifier,” which define postpartum onset as an episode occurring within four weeks postpartum. While these two classifications are similar, the DSM-5 revision made a point to elaborate on the specifier by adding a note that stated mood episodes can have their onset either during pregnancy or postpartum. It then goes on to include the fact that 50% of “postpartum” major depressive episodes actually begin prior to delivery, which is why they are referred to as peripartum episodes (DSM-5, p.186). Peripartum episodes can occur with or without psychotic features, which can explain a case of simple “baby blues” vs. infanticide, or thoughts or delusions of killing the

Postpartum Psychosis (PP) is a severe and debilitating psychiatric illness with acute onset in the days following childbirth (Heron, J., Gilbert, N., Dolman, C., Shah, S., Beare, I., Dearden, S., Ives, J. 2012). Psychosis following childbirth affects 1-2 mothers per 1000 deliveries (McGrath, L., Peters, S., Wieck, A., & Wittkowski, A. 2013). Onset is rapid and functioning is severely affected (Mcgrath, L., et.al.,2013). The typical presentation of postpartum psychosis is a complex mixture of mood disorders (ranging from mania to depression), psychotic symptoms, and confusion (Fassier, T., M.D., Guffon, N., M.D., Acquaviva, C., D'Amato, Thierry, MD, PhD,

Post-partum depression or PPD can be experienced by not only the new mother but the partner and new born as well. However given the high rate in which it affects the partner, the availability of resources that can be used to resolve PPD is very low. There is also a substantial lack of knowledge about PPD and its effects of the new father; this lack of information often leads to negative stigmas and judgment. Although the notion that Fathers can experience PPD is new and often accepted by medical professionals, the complexities of PPD that are presented in our society are the lack of information and resources given to the new fathers who suffer from PPD.

According to Kimani (2016) postpartum depression is a mood disorder that has an affect on 10-15% of women worldwide. Symptoms of postpartum depression include sleep deprivation, low energy, a feeling of loss control over life, and anxiety of caring for the infant. Therefore, postpartum can result in the infant being underweight, and or stunt their growth. This study correlated that low-income women are more likely to experience postpartum depression.

Once a woman is assessed of having high risk of suffering from postpartum psychosis or she is already diagnosed it is extremely essential a close monitoring of her condition with the aid of a multidisciplinary team. This team should include a distinguished obstetrician ideally with perinatal expertise, an experienced midwife, a psychiatrist with perinatal experience, a nurse (ideally with psychiatric experience) and a General Pathologist. These experts will be able to cocoon the mother and address her symptoms, fears and phobias in and out of every aspect in order to make a full recovery.

Mothers who have brought into this world a blessing have been preparing themselves for a big change in their life. They have been learning and educating themselves about how to be a good mother. Many mothers find it really hard to transition from being an independent woman without children to becoming a mother (Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Adapting to motherhood can be a drastic change, and usually creates challenges that lead to feeling overwhelmed (Leger & Letourneau, 2015). When a newly mother begins experiencing stress or becomes emotional then there can be a possibility that they can encounter Postpartum Depression (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be seen and experienced in many different ways, it all varies on every mother (Corrigan et al., 2015). Many different mental health issues can be seen including baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the most serious, postpartum psychosis (Tam & Leslie, 2001).