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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
What is postnatal psychosis?
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Dr Melanie Strang
Counsellor
Postnatal psychosis is a rare illness that occurs in less than 0.1 % of women. It starts soon after giving birth and is more common in first time mums. Women more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder have a history of mental illness, a genetic predisposition to it and/or have stressful social and psychological circumstances.
Psychosis means that a person has lost contact with reality. They may suffer from hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not actually happening in reality), delusions ( false beliefs that are not shared by others such as paranoid thoughts that someone is trying to harm you) and confused thinking. Women may feel high or low in mood, or swing from one extreme to another. It is difficult for the woman to have insight into what is happening.
Treatment usually requires admission to hospital and medication. It is a severe illness where there can be a risk to the mother or the baby's safety.
Complete recovery is usual and recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy is 20%.
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