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Postnatal affective disorders. Part 2: prevention and management
Author(s) -
Oates Margaret
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the obstetrician and gynaecologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1744-4667
pISSN - 1467-2561
DOI - 10.1576/toag.10.4.231.27439
Subject(s) - medicine , breastfeeding , psychiatry , childbirth , pregnancy , mental illness , breast feeding , pediatrics , mental health , genetics , biology
• Women with a history of mental illness should be screened during early pregnancy, as the risk of recurrence following delivery is substantial. • The risk of suicide in seriously mentally ill women is elevated following childbirth. • Postpartum psychiatric illnesses respond to the same treatments as at other times; breastfeeding, however, limits medication choice. • Mothers requiring admission to a psychiatric hospital following delivery should be admitted to a mother and baby unit unless contraindicated.Learning objectives:• To recognise the risk factors and preventative measures for postnatal affective disorders. • To discuss the psychological, pharmacological and social management. • To understand the potential adverse effects of pharmacological treatment on the developing infant via breast milk.Ethical issues:• Do the risks to both mother and infant of not treating postpartum psychiatric illness outweigh the risk to the infant of psychotropic medication?Please cite this article as: Oates M. Postnatal affective disorders. Part 2: prevention and management. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2008;10:231–235.