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The clinical features of postpartum psychoses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

JL Klompenhouwer ,
AM van Hulst ,
JHM Tulen ,
ML Jacobs ,
BC Jacobs  and
F Segers
JL Klompenhouwer
Affiliation:
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Mental Health, Stationsweg 46, NL-5803 AC, Venray Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
AM van Hulst
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Academic Hospital, Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
JHM Tulen
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
ML Jacobs
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
BC Jacobs
Affiliation:
Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
F Segers
Affiliation:
Vincent van Gogh Institute for Mental Health, Stationsweg 46, NL-5803 AC, Venray
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Summary

The clinical features and symptoms of postpartum psychoses are presented in relation to the classification according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) and the concept of “puerperal psychosis”. A number of symptoms, ie confusional symptoms, depersonalization, misrecognitions and the “kaleidoscopic” picture are shown to be prominent features. In schizoaffective disorder and unspecified functional psychosis a higher frequency of confusional symptoms, misrecognitions, thematic delusions and a “kaleidoscopic” course of illness was found compared to schizophrenia, mania or depression. The findings of this study support a special status for postpartum psychosis and suggest a link with the concept of cycloid psychosis. In the management of postpartum mental disorder the risk of child-directed aggression, suicide and sudden relapses into psychosis requires special attention.

Keywords

puerperal psychosisclinical featuresnosologywomenpsychopathologychildbirth
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 10 , Issue 7 , 1995 , pp. 355 - 367
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1995

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