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Abstract
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What is already known on this topic
Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a severe psychiatric illness that occurs in the first weeks following delivery and may have devastating consequences (eg, suicide, infanticide).1 Hospitalisation and medication are required to stabilise and protect the mother and ensure the baby's safety. Current treatments include one or a combination of antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT);2 however, there is limited evidence for specific treatments of PPP.
Methods of the study
Bergink and colleagues designed a four-step algorithm and examined outcomes of 64 mothers (mean age: 31.9) diagnosed with PPP via the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-I), Patient Edition. Participants were recruited between 2005 and 2011 from a psychiatric inpatient unit in the Netherlands specifically for postpartum patients with severe psychopathology. A psychiatrist (1 of 2 study authors) evaluated participants weekly during admission and 9 months post partum. Clinical remission was defined as the absence of psychotic, manic and depressive symptoms for …
Language: en |