Autoimmune Thyroid Disease More Prevalent in Women with Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum psychosis is the most severe form of postpartum psychiatric illness, occurring in approximately 1 to 2 per 1000 women after childbirth. Although bipolar disorder is a risk factor for postpartum psychosis, a substantial number of women who develop postpartum psychosis have no history of psychiatric illness and experience psychiatric illness only in the context of childbearing.  What may cause or trigger postpartum psychosis in this population is not well understood.