Table 2.
Clinical characteristics at the index episode of postpartum psychosis
| Index PP episode (n = 116) | |||||
| Age, years, mean (SD) [range] | 28.0 (4.8) [17–43) | ||||
| Marital status (n = 112), n (%) | |||||
| Married/cohabiting | 111 (99.1) | ||||
| Single | 1 (0.9) | ||||
| Prior psychiatric history, n (%) | |||||
| No | 78 (67.2) | ||||
| Yes* | 38 (32.8) | ||||
| *Episode type (of those 38 with a previous history) | |||||
| Depression | 21 (55.3) | ||||
| Bipolar episode | 13 (34.2) | ||||
| Othera | 4 (10.5) | ||||
| No. of prior episodes, mean (SD) [range] | 1.8 (2.1) [1–10] | ||||
| No. of children, n (%) | |||||
| 0 | 99 (85.3) | ||||
| 1 | 13 (11.2) | ||||
| ≥2 | 4 (3.5) | ||||
| Experienced postpartum depression in previous delivery, n (%) | 7/17 (41.2) | ||||
| Delivery at which index episode of PP occurred, n (%) | |||||
| 1 | 99 (85.3) | ||||
| 2 | 13 (11.2) | ||||
| 3 | 1 (0.9) | ||||
| 4 | 3 (2.6) | ||||
| Clinical presentation, n (%) | |||||
| Mania | 80 (69.0) | ||||
| Psychotic depression | 14 (12.0) | ||||
| Mixed | 22 (19.0) | ||||
| Perplexity (n =112), n (%) | |||||
| Yes | 55 (49.1) | ||||
| No | 57 (50.9) | ||||
| Onset of symptoms, days, median [range] | |||||
| Entire sample | 3 [1–28] | ||||
| Mania presentationb | 3 [1–28] | ||||
| Psychotic depressionc | 6 [1–14] | ||||
| Mixed episodesd | 3 [1–21] | ||||
| Onset of treatment within: n (%) | 1 week | 2 weeks | 30 days | > 31 days | None |
| Entire sample | 59 (50.9) | 27 (23.3) | 14 (12.0) | 13 (11.2) | 3 (2.6) |
| Mania presentationb | 42 (52.5) | 20 (25.0) | 9 (11.3) | 6 (7.5) | 3 (3.7) |
| Psychotic depressionc | 6 (42.9) | 1 (7.1) | 4 (28.6) | 3 (21.4) | 0 (0) |
| Mixed episodesd | 11 (50.0) | 6 (27.3) | 1 (4.5) | 4 (18.2) | 0 (0) |
| Duration of index episode, weeks, median [range) | 30 [1–216] | ||||
| Time from onset of symptoms to resolution of symptoms within: n (%) | 3 months | 6 months | 1 year | > 1 year | |
| Entire sample | 21 (18.1) | 34 (29.3) | 31 (26.7) | 30 (25.9) | |
| Mania presentationb | 15 (18.8) | 24 (30.0) | 20 (25.0) | 21 (26.2) | |
| Psychotic depressionc | 1 (7.1) | 6 (42.9) | 5 (35.7) | 2 (14.3) | |
| Mixed episodesd | 5 (22.7) | 4 (18.2) | 6 (27.3) | 7 (31.8) | |
| Voluntary hospital admission (n = 112), n (%) | |||||
| Yes | 84 (75.0) | ||||
| No | 28 (25.0) | ||||
| Suicidal ideation or behavior present (n = 112), n (%) | |||||
| Yes | 38 (33.9) | ||||
| No | 74 (66.1) | ||||
PP = postpartum psychosis; SD = standard deviation.
a
The four episodes in the ‘Other’ category included anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, severe anxiety symptoms following a traumatic episode/posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and paranoia and psychotic symptoms following illegal drug use.
b
n = 80.
c
n= 14.
d
n = 22.