Symptoms, Causes and Treatment for Postpartum Psychosis

Although the condition is very rare, postpartum psychosis is a very severe mental condition that manifests a few months after childbirth and the illness is characterized by a serious loss of contact with reality for significant periods of time. While experts are still largely unsure of exactly why the condition manifests, the constant change of the levels of the woman's hormones during this phase is usually something that is seen to be a key in the entire process. One of the main concerns faced by those suffering from the condition is that while...

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...most of them will realize that something is wrong, studies have shown that less than 20% of those affected will actually let their health care providers know about it.

Moreover, it is not uncommon for the condition to be improperly diagnosed as being postpartum depression - meaning that the woman is likely to end up receiving the incorrect treatment for the condition she is faced with. Studies have shown that incorrect treatments have led to a suicide rate of about 5% of those affected while infanticide rates are recorded at 4%.

Symptoms of Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum depression psychosis will manifest after about two or three weeks after the delivery. So much so, that it can be quite a sudden occurrence. Some of the more noticeable symptoms of the condition include hallucinations, delusions, insomnia, a refusal to eat, periods of boisterous delirium or mania, homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts and illogical as well as random thoughts.

Causes for Postpartum Psychosis

While the experts are still unsure of the exact causes of the development of psychosis postpartum, the constantly changing hormones within the woman's body during this phase is known to contribute significantly. Moreover, studies have shown that women that have a history of suffering from conditions like bipolar disorder and psychosis are at a greater risk. Mothers that have already suffered through one episode of postpartum psychosis are between 20% and 50% more likely to experience it again in a future pregnancy.

Treatment for Postpartum Psychosis

First and foremost, it is essential that you visit your health care provider in person and inform him of the complications that you seem to be going through. Family support and educating the family about the situation is also very critical as the condition can lead a person to perform some very serious and yet random, unexpected actions. It is also important to keep in mind the fact that is medication has been prescribed and the mother continues to breastfeed, the medicine could pass over to the child. As a result, it is important to monitor the health and reactions of the baby to make sure that it does not get lethargic and drowsy.

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