CME Article

Prevention and Diagnosis of Postpartum Psychosis

Julia Dorfman, MD, PhD; Robert Meisner, MD; Julia B. Frank, MD

  • Psychiatric Annals
  • July 2012 - Volume 42 · Issue 7: 257-261
  • DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20120705-05
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Abstract

CME Educational Objectives

  1. Develop an understanding of the symptomatology, prevalence, course, and medical/psychiatric risk factors of postpartum psychosis.

  2. Differentiate risks and benefits associated with available treatment options for postpartum psychosis.

  3. Describe factors associated with the risk of recurrence of post-partum psychosis in subsequent pregnancies.

 

Case One

The patient is a 38-year-old, married woman, 4 months pregnant with her first child, who presented to the psychiatric residency outpatient clinic, expressing concerns about developing a psychiatric disorder postpartum.

The patient reported that her mother had suffered from bipolar disorder. After the birth of the patient’s younger sister, her mother became psychotic and committed suicide. At the time of the interview, the patient denied any mood or psychotic symptoms. She was satisfied with her marriage and her job, and both she and her husband were looking forward to the birth of their child.

She had never experienced a manic episode, but did report several past episodes of depression; the most severe one was precipitated by a job loss and a simultaneous breakup with a boyfriend. At that time, she had a fleeting thought that life might not be worth living, which scared her and prompted her to seek therapy. She recovered quickly and stopped her bi-weekly therapy appointments after a few months. She never used medication.


AUTHORS

All authors are members of The George Washington University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Julia Dorfman, MD, PhD, is a Resident Physician; Robert Meisner, MD, is a Resident Physician; and Julia B. Frank, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Co-director of the Five Trimesters Clinic.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Address correspondence to: Julia B. Frank, MD, The George Washington University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 2150 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC, 20037; fax: 202-741-2891; email: jfrank@mfa.gwu.edu

doi: 10.3928/00485713-20120705-05

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