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New Mothers with Disturbing Thoughts: Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and of Psychosis in Postpartum

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Bio-Psycho-Social Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Abstract

Psychiatric symptoms in postpartum tend to vary in severity and presentation. As a result, they may be challenging to adequately recognize and treat. In this chapter, we will focus on postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder and postpartum psychosis. Both of these psychiatric illnesses can have intrusive thoughts of hurting the child as a central theme. It is imperative to promptly identify them, determine severity of presentation, and assist women in obtaining treatment. If symptoms remain undetected, serious and sometimes lethal consequences for both mother and child could follow.

A case for each disorder is presented. Neither woman had significant previous psychiatric illness, which created additional diagnostic and treatment challenges.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Insight Behavioral Health Centers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Vesna Pirec MD, PhD

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA

    Vesna Pirec MD, PhD

  3. Wildflower Center for Emotional Health LLC, Chicago, IL, USA

    Agnieszka Grabowski MA, LCSW

Authors
  1. Vesna Pirec MD, PhD
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  2. Agnieszka Grabowski MA, LCSW
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Correspondence to Vesna Pirec MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gelre Hospitals Apeldoorn Location, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

    K Marieke Paarlberg

  2. Wenckebach Institute, University of Groningen University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Harry B.M. van de Wiel

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Pirec, V., Grabowski, A. (2017). New Mothers with Disturbing Thoughts: Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and of Psychosis in Postpartum. In: Paarlberg, K., van de Wiel, H. (eds) Bio-Psycho-Social Obstetrics and Gynecology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40404-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40404-2_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-40402-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-40404-2

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