Postpartum Psychosis

Subject: Midwifery III (Theory)

Overview

This is a devastating ailment that represents the most severe kind of mental disease. One or two mothers out of every thousand are affected. Primiparae are more likely to experience it than multiparae. Within the first several days after delivery, this typically happens. Psychosis is a mind illness in which individuals perceive thinking and acting differently from how a typical person would. The patient does not believe that anything is amiss with her. Puerperal infection may potentially result in puerperal psychosis. Mother might get cognitively confused as a result of the sickness.Postpartum psychosis needs to be treated right away, frequently in a hospital. Once your safety has been established, a cocktail of drugs, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, may be used to manage your signs and symptoms. Additionally, electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) is sometimes advised. Your brain receives a little amount of electrical stimulation during ECT to create brain waves resembling those experienced during a seizure. Breastfeeding difficulties may result from postpartum psychosis treatment. Nursing is challenging when a mother is separated from her child, and several drugs used to treat postpartum psychosis are not advised for breastfeeding mothers.1

Postpartum Psychosis

This is a devastating ailment that represents the most severe kind of mental disease. One or two mothers out of every thousand are affected. Primiparae are more likely to experience it than multiparae. Within the first several days after delivery, this typically happens. Psychosis is a thought disorder in which individuals experience thinking and acting differently from how a typical person would. The patient does not believe that anything is wrong with her.

Cause

Puerperal infection may potentially result in puerperal psychosis. Mother might get cognitively confused as a result of the sickness.

Some women are predisposed to schizophrenia genetically. Prior to becoming pregnant, these women appear normal, but after giving birth, they experience psychosis.

  • It affects the women who think childbearing as a threat.
  • Due to hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalance.
  • Broken home.

Clinical Features

  • Persistent insomnia, restlessness.
  • Hallucinations,
  • Refuse eats and does not concentrate on anything.
  • May develop suicidal tendencies.
  • May harm the baby and deny to care baby.
  • Loss of insight,
  • Loss of memory,
  • Delusion.

Treatment

Postpartum psychosis needs to be treated right away, frequently in a hospital.

A mix of drugs, including as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, may be used to control your signs and symptoms once your safety has been established. Additionally, electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) is sometimes advised.

Your brain receives a small amount of electrical current during ECT to create brain waves resembling those experienced during a seizure. When other treatments haven't worked or you're in a hurry, the chemical changes brought on by electrical currents can lessen the symptoms of depression.

Treatment for postpartum psychosis may cause problems breastfeeding. When a mother is separated from her child, breastfeeding is difficult, and some medications used to treat postpartum psychosis are not recommended for breastfeeding mothers. If you are experiencing postpartum psychosis, a team of medical experts will help you get past these obstacles.

Management

  • The patient with psychosis has to see a psychiatrist and be admitted to the hospital.
  • A room and the bottom floor have sufficient security measures to stop patients from escaping the unit.
  • Patients shouldn't be given access to dangerous tools.
  • Give the patient food that is nutrient-rich and simple to digest.
  • Take the baby away from the mother if she tends to warm the baby and doesn't care about it.
  • Chlorpromazine typically sedates the patient.
  • Provide psychological support to her and her family member
Things to remember
  • This is a devastating ailment that represents the most severe kind of mental disease.
  • One or two mothers out of every thousand are affected. Primiparae are more likely to experience it than multiparae.
  • Within the first several days after delivery, this typically happens. Psychosis is a mind illness in which individuals perceive thinking and acting differently from how a typical person would.
  • The patient does not believe that anything is amiss with her.
  • Puerperal infection may also result in puerperal psychosis.
  • Mother could become mentally confused as a result of the infection.
  • Postpartum psychosis needs to be treated right away, frequently in a hospital.
  • A combination of drugs, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, may be used to control your signs and symptoms once your safety has been established.
  • Additionally, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes advised.
  • Your brain receives a small amount of electrical current during ECT to create brain waves resembling those experienced during a seizure.
  • Breastfeeding difficulties may result from postpartum psychosis treatment.
  • Breastfeeding is challenging when a mother is separated from her child, and some medications used to treat postpartum psychosis are not advised for breastfeeding mothers.
Questions and Answers

 

This is the severe form of mental illness and is a serious condition. It affects one or two mother in every thousand. It occurs mostly in primiparae than in multiparae. This usually occurs within the first few days of delivery. Psychosis is a thought disorder where experience thinking and behavior are different from a normal person. The patient herself does not think that there is anything wrong with her.

Puerperal psychosis may occur due to puerperal infection also. This infection may cause the mother mentally confused.

Some women have a hereditary effect of schizophrenia. These women look normal before pregnancy but develop psychosis after childbearing.

_ It affects the women who think childbearing as a threat.

_ Due to hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalance.

_ Broken home.

 

  • persistent insomnia, restlessness.
  •  hallucinations
  •  refuse eats and does not concentrate on anything.
  •  may develop suicidal tendencies.
  • may harm the baby and deny to care baby.
  •  loss of insight
  •  loss of memory
  •  delusion

Treatment

Postpartum psychosis requires immediate treatment, often in the hospital.

When your safety is assured, a combination of medications — such as antidepressants, antipsychotic medications and mood stabilizers — may be used to control your signs and symptoms. Sometimes electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is recommended as well.

During ECT, a small amount of electrical current is applied to your brain to produce brain waves similar to those that occur during a seizure. The chemical changes triggered by the electrical currents can reduce the symptoms of depression, especially when other treatments have failed or when you need immediate results.

Treatment for postpartum psychosis can challenge a mother's ability to breastfeed. Separation from the baby makes breastfeeding difficult, and some medications used to treat postpartum psychosis aren't recommended for women who are breastfeeding. If you're experiencing postpartum psychosis, a team of health care providers will help you work through these challenges.

Management

  1. The psychosis patient should be referred to hospital and consult psychiatrist.
  2. Room and ground floor with adequate security measures to prevent escape from the ward.
  3. Harmful instruments should not be allowed to the patients.
  4. Provide nutritious, easily digestible food to the patient.
  5. If a mother does not care the baby and has a tendency to warm baby, take away the baby from her.
  6. The patient is usually sedated by chlorpromazine.
  7. Provide psychological support to her and her family member

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