Postpartum psychosis: Easy to miss, potentially devastating and not in the DSM — yet
A decision is yet to be made on whether the disorder will be included in the manual.
The consequences of missing a postpartum psychosis diagnosis can be devastating. A mother’s life can be lost to suicide, or a child’s to infanticide.
“In all cases, there is a risk the infant is incorporated into the delusional system, and therefore might be harmed,” says NSW psychiatrist Dr Sylvia Lim-Gibson.
“More often, people are at risk of misadventure or neglecting the infant.
“They may not want to harm themselves or their infant.
