Postpartum Mental Health Disorders

This comprehensive reference and text synthesizes a vast body of clinically useful knowledge about women's mental health and health care. Coverage includes women's psychobiology across the life span--sex differences in neurobiology and psychopharmacology and psychiatric aspects of the reproductive cycle--as well as gender-related issues in assessment and treatment of frequently encountered psychiatric disorders. Current findings are presented on sex differences in epidemiology, risk factors, presenting symptoms, treatment options and outcomes, and more. Also addressed are mental health consultation to other medical specialties, developmental and sociocultural considerations in service delivery, and research methodology and health policy concerns.

Biomarkers of Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders provides an up-to-date reference on the current research relating to biomarkers in psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, OCD and bipolar disorder in the immediate postpartum time-period. It is the only reference on the market that synthesizes and interprets available data and reviews clinical phenotypes. Topics cover hormonal contributions, immunology, epigenetics and neuroimaging. While the risk of psychiatric illness during pregnancy appears to be equivalent to the risk at any other time in a woman’s life, the risk in the immediate postpartum time period is dramatically increased, hence the importance of the discussions in this title. Identifies epigenetic, hormonal, immunological and neuroimaging biomarkers Provides biomarkers for depression, OCD and psychosis Includes clinical phenotypes for psychiatric disorders Discusses future research and directions in the field

"Postpartum Mental Health Disorders: A Casebook describes the recognition and management of psychiatric disorders that present in the postpartum period. Case vignettes illustrate the type of complaints that may present to the psychiatrist, primary care physician, obstetrician, nurse practitioner, doula or other health care professionals. Chapters cover depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), psychotic disorders, bipolar disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, personality disorders and drug abuse. Each chapter includes information about differential and provisional diagnoses, epidemiology, treatment and prognosis with advice as to when to refer to a specialist. More general chapters address risk factors for developing postpartum disorders, prevention and the uses and safety of psychotropic medication during breastfeeding. Two frequently used screening questionnaires are included with instructions as to use. Some key references or links are included"--

Clues which point toward the etiology of postpartum psychiatric illness and its appropriate treatment are spread over four continents and 150 years of history. James Alexander Hamilton and Patricia Neel Harberger decided that it was time to assemble the bits and pieces of information. Postpartum Psychiatric Illness: A Picture Puzzle is an exceptional work that presents a wealth of research and treatment considerations in this neglected field.

Advocating for Women with Postpartum Mental Illness takes the reader into the world of one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses. Through this book, Feingold and Lewis humanize the mother’s experience and provide vital tools for mental health and legal professionals. Complete with case studies and the authors’ experiences in changing the law in their own state of Illinois, this book is a necessary resource for all.

Offering an understanding of postpartum psychosis, this riveting book explains what happens and why during this temporary and dangerous disorder that develops for some women rapidly after childbirth. Most of us are familiar with the baby blues, a passing sadness that strikes 50 to 75 percent of new mothers after delivery. And most of us understand postpartum depression, a sadness post-delivery that lingers for weeks or months for an estimated one in every 10 new mothers. But a more serious form of disorder that strikes up to one in every 500 is postpartum psychosis - triggering severe agitation, confusion, insomnia, hallucinations, delusions, mania, and possible thoughts of suicide or murder. Every year, women in the United States and around the world kill their babies, children, and themselves as a result of this mental illness. Here, author Twomey, an official with Postpartum Support International, gives us insight into the psychological, personal, medical, legal, and historical perspectives on this little-understood mental illness, which is both preventable and treatable. While most women who suffer postpartum psychosis eventually recover without harming anyone, they most often do so in silence. Paranoia is a common symptom, explains Twomey, and that moves women to hide their symptoms from everyone around them. The woman can hence appear normal, but be putting both herself and her baby at risk. We can prevent and treat this, but we need to recognize it by better screening of women postpartum, says Twomey.

A panel of top experts in perinatal psychiatry reviews the many recent studies on the use of psychiatric medications in pregnancy and postpartum and assesses their impact on the diagnosis and treatment of pregnant/postpartum women. The authors focus on each of the major psychiatric illnesses, including depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and mental illness, as well as on the potential impact of these illnesses on infants and children. Interpreting conflicting and inconclusive clinical findings, they spell out the lesser-known risks of prenatal medication exposure and illuminate a variety of issues that must be taken into account in choosing such treatments as medications, psychotherapy, parental education, and social skills training.

"As a psychotherapist and educator of future mental health practitioners, I believe this work fills an important gap in reference books for professionals who care for childbearing women. Since the volume provides invaluable neurobiological research on depression and anxiety, I recommend this work to all health and mental health professionals."--Illness, Crisis and Loss Over the past three years, pregnancy related mood disorders have become the focus of health care advocates and legislators alike with subsequent reflection in nationwide media. Statistics on the prevalence of perinatal mood disorders suggest that up to 20% of women experience diagnosable pregnancy related mood disorders. The growing recognition of these common disorders, coupled with an increasing knowledge base about the dire consequences of untreated maternal depression, has propelled this issue to the fore of national public health priorities. This increasing awareness has also resulted in recent legislative and healthcare initiatives to screen, assess, and treat such disorders. On April 13, 2006, Governor Jon S. Corzine (D -NJ) signed a law requiring all new mothers to be educated and screened for postpartum depression. This law is the first of its kind in the country, but many states and federal advocates are proposing similar laws. The motivation for states and the federal government to adopt education and screening program is high and may soon be a federal mandate. But a major barrier to successful implementation of such programs is the lack of available resources to train healthcare professionals in this specialty. This book offers a major resource for healthcare professionals, mental health professionals, and medical, nursing, psychology, and social work students who will be confronting this problem in their practices. The contributions, by renowned experts, fill a glaring gap in the knowledge professionals need in order to successfully manage maternal mental health.