Postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a mental health emergency. This form of psychosis occurs in people who just gave birth, affecting their sense of reality so they do not know what is real and what is not. It can cause hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and/or other changes in behavior.

Postpartum psychosis is rare, affecting between 0.89 and 2.6 women for every 1000 births in the first 6 weeks after childbirth. PPP is the most severe form of postpartum psychiatric illness.

PPP is treatable and reversible, especially with early treatment.

 Risk of harm 
In some severe cases, people with PPP have tried to hurt themselves or their infants. This is rare. Nevertheless, according to the Cleveland Clinic: People with postpartum psychosis have a much higher risk of harming themselves, dying by suicide or harming their children. Because of this, PPP is a mental health emergency."

 Symptoms 
Symptoms usually start in the first few days after birth (sometimes within a few hours of giving birth), but they can appear up to several weeks later. 

Symptoms of PPD can include:

 Mood changes (like anxiety, panic, mania, or depression)
 Depersonalization (feeling detached or "out-of-body")
 Disorganized thinking or behavior
 Difficulty sleeping
 Feeling irritable or agitated
 Thinking about self-harm or harming others (especially their newborn)

 Causes & risk factors 
Experts do not know what causes PPP. However, many factors affect the risk of developing this condition.

New mothers are at higher risk for developing PPP if they already have bipolar I disorder or schizophrenia. But up to 40% of PPP cases happen in people with no prior mental illness.

People who already developed PPP after a prior pregnancy are at higher risk. But after the first child, there is a 50% to 70% chance that the mother will never experience PPP again. 

Other factors that contribute to PPD include post-childbirth hormone changes and sleep deprivation.

 Related pages 

 Psychosis
 Postpartum period
 Postpartum depression

References

Category:Mental illnesses
Category:Pregnancy and childbirth