Pregnant Women With Bipolar Disorder History Are More Likely To Have Postpartum Psychosis

Having a history of bipolar disorder increases pregnant women's chances of developing postpartum psychosis. The latter may push mothers to inflict harm to herself and her baby.

Bipolar disorder is characterized by odd shifts in a person's mood, activity levels, energy and the ability to perform day-to-day tasks, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Changes in sleep patterns are also displayed.

Postpartum psychosis, on the other hand, is considered rare and affects around one to two out of every 1,000 deliveries, according to Postpartum Support -- PSI. The condition occurs suddenly, usually two weeks after birth.

Katherine Wisner, a professor at Northwestern University at Chicago, United States, said it's particularly hard to treat women suffering from postpartum psychosis with medication while they are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to a study from the Northwestern University (as reported by Science Daily). Not treating them, however, is also dangerous because the disorder can worsen and lead to suicide. 

The symptoms of postpartum psychosis include hallucinations, delusions or strange beliefs, feeling irritated, quick mood swings, paranoia and suspiciousness, hyperactivity, difficulty in communicating and inability or lower need to sleep. Having a personal or family history of bipolar disorder is the most significant risk factor of postpartum psychosis.

The drug lithium is the most effective and fast-acting treatment for postpartum psychosis. Despite lithium's effectiveness, physicians are wary of prescribing it to breastfeeding women because it might harm the baby. A small number of mothers with breastfed babies, however, were found to be safe after being treated with lithium.

Wisner said postpartum psychosis is more dangerous than postpartum depression. The latter involves symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, and obsessive behaviors.

Women with postpartum depression often fear that they would harm or kill their baby, or obsessively check every 10 minutes if their infant is still breathing. Those with postpartum depression also neurotically wash their hands before touching or carrying their babies.

Postpartum psychosis is temporary and can be treated by prenatal mental health professionals. The condition, however, is an emergency and it's highly important that women suffering from it receive immediate help. Those with postpartum psychosis must be assessed by experts fast, treated, and carefully monitored.

Aside from medication drugs, postpartum psychosis is also treated via electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and talking therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), according to BabyCentre. These forms of therapy will allow women to continue breastfeeding their babies without any risk.