4th September 2020

A 32-year-old woman is brought to A&E by her partner – she gave birth to their first child, a baby girl, 10 days ago

A 32-year-old woman is brought to A&E by her partner – she gave birth to their first child, a baby girl, 10 days ago. He is concerned because last night she locked herself in the bathroom with their newborn baby, claiming that she needed to protect them “from evil”. He was able to convince her to unlock the door and subsequently brought her to A&E – she has continued to insist that evil forces are after her family, and appears to be very distracted. She has been refusing to put her baby down or to let her partner hold her. You suspect she is suffering from postpartum psychosis. 

Which of the following statements about this condition is correct?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.