Postpartum Psychosis – what is it?
Postpartum psychosis is a severe but treatable mental illness that occurs in women after having a baby.
What are the symptoms?
These include: -
- Delusions;
- Hallucinations;
- Mania; and
- Severe Confusion
When does it occur?
Symptoms usually start within two weeks of having given birth but can appear within up to six weeks.
Is it treatable?
Yes. Women who receive the right treatment promptly make a full recovery.
Is postpartum psychosis a medical emergency?
Yes. Most women need urgent medication or hospital treatment.
What happens if postpartum psychosis isn’t treated urgently?
The condition gets worse. This can lead to the woman and her baby suffering harm. If untreated, postpartum psychosis can be fatal.
Covid-19
The onset of Covid-19 has disrupted the Health Service. This has meant that a number of women who should have had urgent treatment for postpartum psychosis did not get it. Even allowing for the disruption the Health Authorities should not have lost sight of the need for urgent treatment for women with postpartum psychosis.
What Is being done?
Mental health charities and the newspapers are trying to put pressure on the Health Service to see that women with postpartum psychosis get the urgent treatment they need.
How We Can Help
If you think you may have suffered due to treatment not being available, please contact us to discuss the matter on 0800 802 1318 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will get back to you right away.
