Postpartum Psychosis More Likely In Bipolar Mothers
 

"Pregnant women with bipolar disorder have a significantly higher risk of developing postpartum psychosis than other mothers, researchers say."

The problem is compounded by a reluctance by doctors to prescribe lithium, which is the most effective and fast-acting drug to treat postpartum psychosis, to breastfeeding mothers, fearing it would have an adverse impact on the baby, said lead author Dr. Katherine Wisner, proffessor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The review was published by the American Journal of Psychiatry.

"More often than not, the risk of the medication is less than the risk of the uncontrolled disorder," Wisner said in a press release. "This is a really serious disorder, and no one likes to treat women with medication during pregnancy or breastfeeding, but there's certainly very high risk in not treating as well, such as the risk for suicide," Wisner said.


 

Wisner said nearly everyone knows a woman with bipolar disorder since the condition affects as much as 5 percent of the population.

“These women need to be aware that postpartum psychosis is a possibility and that there are preventive treatments that are highly effective,” Wisner said.

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