postpartum psychiatric disorders - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

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.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2024-04-14T16:18:26-04:00November 8th, 2011|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Postpartum Psychosis, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends Screening for Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is experienced by 10-15% of women and carries risks to both mother and baby. Untreated maternal depression is associated with negative outcomes for children including behavioral problems, cognitive or developmental delays and impaired attachment. Treatment of a mother’s depression can improve not only her own functioning and quality of life, but can improve her children’s symptoms as well (Pilowsky 2008). Given the importance of a mother’s mental health on her baby’s well-being, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a recent report which recommends that pediatricians screen mothers for postpartum depression at baby’s one-, two-, and four-month visits (Earls 2010).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-13T11:48:28-04:00January 10th, 2011|Depressive Disorders, Diagnosis & Screening, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Can We Identify Women at High Risk for Postpartum Psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis occurs in about 1 to 2 per 1000 women after delivery. While there appears to be a strong link between postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder, it is estimated that about half of women who present with postpartum psychosis have no psychiatric history prior to delivery, making it difficult to identify those women who are at greatest risk for this illness. A recent study, using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry, has examined possible risk factors that may be used to identify women at risk for postpartum psychosis.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-09-03T16:46:41-04:00August 3rd, 2009|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Postpartum Psychosis, Prevention|Comments Off

Case: Prevention of Mood Episodes When Planning for Pregnancy

Our Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry team often discusses clinical cases in Rounds, a confidential forum in which we can get advice and consultation from peers who also work in the area of Women's Mental Health. We discussed a patient's situation recently that highlighted the controversial area about how to prevent mood episodes in a woman planning for pregnancy.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T14:05:35-04:00March 2nd, 2009|Depressive Disorders, Prevention, Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy|Comments Off

Fish Oil and Postpartum Depression

One treatment that has recently received a great deal of interest lately is fish oil. There is some preliminary evidence to suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish and fish oil, including eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), have an antidepressant effect. It has been discovered that mothers selectively transfer DHA to their baby during pregnancy and through the breast milk to support neurological development in the developing child. Thus, child-bearing women may become depleted of DHA, and it has been hypothesized that DHA deficiency may make mothers more vulnerable to depression during the postpartum period.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-11T10:18:21-04:00February 20th, 2008|Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off