Volume 5 Issue 11 November 2015
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Focus: ‘Obstetrics’
Motherhood is a blessing to a woman. Rarely, it can become a curse when it is complicated by psychiatric illness, which could take out the joy of motherhood and in extreme cases endanger the lives of both mother and the newborn. With an incidence of 1-2 in every 1000 pregnancies, postpartum psychiatric illnesses are classified based on severity: postpartum blues being the mildest form, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis the severest form.
Factors which put the mother at risk of developing this illness are: previous history of depression, unwanted pregnancy, low socio-economic status, and stressful life events around delivery. Mothers may present with common symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and loss of interest to usual activities, to more severe symptoms like thought disturbances, delusional beliefs, suicidal ideations, and homicidal thoughts which may put the baby at risk.
Hence, appropriate management is required for the mother when emotional and thought disturbances are experienced during and after pregnancy. Prevailing superstitious beliefs like postpartum psychiatric illness is due to unsatisfied spirits and social taboo attached to seeking psychiatric care prevent the mother from getting effective psychiatric care. Timely psychiatric intervention can address the role changes, social support, marital relationship and life stressors which may help to reduce the suffering. Compassionate and quality care, proper family education and support may help woman experiencing psychiatric disturbances to come out from their dark shell and blossom again.
A happy mother, happy family makes up a healthy society and a wealthy nation…
Dr. K. R. Chellammal, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Sri Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
Dr. R. Vidhya, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Sri Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
