Postpartum psychosis occurs in about 1 of every 500 mothers giving birth. It is often referred to as postpartum bipolar disorder. Women with a family or personal history of bipolar disorder are more likely to have the condition than others.

Women experiencing postpartum psychosis must be diagnosed early and treated under close supervision. They may experience urges to harm themselves or the baby. These ideas should be taken seriously and treated as an emergency situation.

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. It is a mental illness that can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. Within the first 3 weeks after giving birth, bipolar women are more susceptible to hormonal changes and the rare effects of postpartum psychosis. Those who have experienced it with prior pregnancies are likely to have these episodes.

Delusional behavior may include irrational thoughts and actions that are not based on reality, such as paranoia. Rare cases may prompt the woman to kill herself and her children.

Symptoms of postpartum psychosis onset quickly and include different types of hallucinations, such as seeing and hearing things that are not there. Patients may also have strange sensations of touch or smell, insomnia, lack of interest in food, delusional behavior, extreme anxiety or suicidal thoughts.

Some women are able to hide these symptoms from the people around them for some period of time. Those with a psychiatric history of manic depression should keep in regular contact with a mental health care professional, if possible.

Family members or close friends of women who exhibit the signs of postpartum psychosis should not be shy about asking for help. If the woman has a mental health professional that she sees regularly, this is the person to contact. If not, her regular physician may be able to recommend one.

Hesitation may be detrimental to the situation. If she has postpartum psychosis, it may be a life-saving measure for both the mother and baby. At the time of referral, the woman may not be appreciative of intervention, but over time, the positive effects will be made known.

Postpartum psychosis must be treated at an in-house facility by a special team of professionals. Through treatment with therapy and medication, symptoms and effects of postpartum psychosis can be controlled. When a woman who has been previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder learns she is pregnant, this is the time to alert her obstetrician and mental health care professional.