Postpartum psychosis: a diagnosis for the DSMV.

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a serious disorder that is associated with maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, yet it is denied a diagnostic classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). PPP was included in the DSMI (1952) and the DSMII (1968). It was removed from DSMIII (1980). The purpose of this article is to review the history of postpartum psychosis in the DSM and provide the mechanism and research that argues for the inclusion of postpartum psychosis as a separate diagnostic entity in the DSM. This work describes a proposal to the DSMV committee in 2020 for inclusion of PPP as a unique diagnosis based on the cognitive disorganization that accompanies psychotic symptoms. The proposal for inclusion provides the required criteria such as a rationale for the proposed change and evidence that PPP is distinct from other disorders. Validators are described. Reliability studies and benefits of inclusion are provided. We were unable to gain consensus on the presence of cognitive impairment for all postpartum psychotic episodes. The committee opined that we did not demonstrate proof that PPP is a distinct diagnosis. However, the committee acknowledged that the current "specifier" may be insufficient, and thus the option favored by the committee is that it could be added to Sect. 3 of the DSM, "Conditions for Further Study." In the next proposal, we suggest that the unique temporal relationship of symptom onset to childbirth deserves consideration as unique criteria for diagnostic distinction of PPP.

Infanticide and American criminal justice (1980-2018).

Maternal infanticide, or the murder of a child in the first year of life by its mother, is a subject both compelling and repulsive. The victim is innocent, but the perpetrator may be a victim too. In the USA, mentally ill women who commit infanticide may receive long prison sentences or even the death penalty. England, Canada, Australia, and more than 20 European countries have "infanticide laws," which provide more humane treatment and psychiatric care for mentally ill mothers who kill. One of the reasons for the sentences in the USA lies in our archaic insanity defense. In addition, the psychiatric community does not recognize perinatal illness as a formal diagnosis. Furthermore, general forensic psychiatrists who testify in the courtroom have little knowledge of perinatal illness. I suggest that it is time to invite psychiatrists and psychologists as clinicians and scientists to partner with our legal representatives in the courtroom in order to determine laws based on psychiatric facts and not conjecture. The voices of perinatal mental health advocates must continue to be heard in all courtrooms of the USA.

Reanalysis of efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression versus parenting education program: initial severity of depression as a predictor of treatment outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is supported by substantial empirical evidence as a treatment for depression. Surprisingly, our recently reported randomized, single-blind, controlled clinical trial found no significant difference between interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression (IPT-P) and a parenting education program (PEP) control condition for the treatment of prenatal depression. Because depression severity has been found to influence treatment response in antidepressant treatment trials, the current study reassessed IPT-P outcomes, limiting analyses to women with moderate depressive symptoms. METHOD: For this reanalysis, 75 of the 110 study participants who met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder and scored ≥ 16 on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) from 2005 through 2011 were classified as moderately depressed. Linear mixed models were used to examine the longitudinal treatment response on the HDRS-17, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement (CGI-I) and Severity (CGI-S) scales. RESULTS: Although the longitudinal analysis did not reveal a significant interaction of treatment group and visit (ie, treatment response variation), the IPT-P group had significantly lower HDRS-17 and EPDS depression ratings than the PEP group at week 8 (respectively, P = .008 and P = .046); these scores remained low but lost significance versus those for the PEP group at week 12 due to attrition and smaller sample size. For the CGI ratings, the longitudinal analysis revealed significant interaction of treatment groups and visits for the CGI-I (P = .021) and CGI-S (P = .005) ratings. Post hoc analysis showed significant illness improvement and less illness severity for the IPT-P group as measured by the CGI ratings at weeks 8 (P = .007 and P = .003, respectively) and 12 (P = .003 and P = .012, respectively), whereas the PEP group remained relatively unchanged during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this reanalysis indicate that among women with moderate levels of depression severity, IPT-P is markedly more effective than PEP. The significance of baseline severity level in depression is important in treatment trial outcomes and considerably more important in determining treatment decisions for pregnant depressed women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00251043.

Disagreement between therapist raters and independent evaluators in a controlled clinical trial of interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: The randomized controlled trial in which both the patient and the treating clinician are kept blinded to the treatment is the "gold standard" for treatment research assignment. However, in psychotherapy research, evaluations can only be single blind; thus, such studies are inherently more limited. METHODS: A 12-week, bilingual, parallel-design, controlled clinical treatment trial compared interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression (IPT-P) with a parenting education program (PEP) provided to a control group. An outpatient sample of 142 women who met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder was randomly assigned to IPT-P or PEP between September 2005 and May 2011. Only 110 cases were assessed at baseline and had at least 1 other treatment week of paired ratings by a therapist and a blinded independent evaluator (IE). The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impressions Scale were administered weekly by a therapist and every 4 weeks by a blinded IE. We examined cross-informant agreement on ratings of mood and global improvement and severity. RESULTS: Nonblinded therapists consistently rated the IPT-P treatment group as more improved than the PEP control group throughout treatment, whereas the ratings by the blinded IE were significantly higher than the therapist ratings, indicating less improvement in the IPT-P group compared with the control group. The ratings suggest that rater bias may have caused the therapist raters to perceive subjects as more improved because of the expectation that IPT-P would be more effective than the PEP control condition. CONCLUSION: Ratings in psychotherapy research must be made by anonymous participation in treatment and an independent clinical evaluator who is blind to all therapy.

Increased breastfeeding rates in black women after a treatment intervention.

There has been a considerable increase in rates of breastfeeding in the United States. Despite these trends, black women continue to fall below medical recommendations. Impoverished and poorly educated women also have a comparatively lower rate of breastfeeding. Provider encouragement and supportive interventions increase breastfeeding initiation among women of all backgrounds. The data presented come from a three-site randomized controlled bilingual depression treatment trial from 2005 to 2011 that examined the comparative effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy and a parenting education program. Breastfeeding education and support were provided for the majority of participants in each intervention. Breastfeeding status was queried at postpartum week 4. We found higher rates of breastfeeding in black women compared with those reported in national surveys. The black breastfeeding rate did not significantly differ from that of white or Hispanic women. American-born black women were just as likely to breastfeed as American-born white women, both at significantly greater rates than American-born Hispanic women. We also found no differences in breastfeeding rate in poorly educated and impoverished women. These data must be seen against the backdrop of a significant intervention to treat depression. Because breastfeeding interventions have been shown to increase breastfeeding rates, the support provided in our study likely increased rates in groups that lag behind.

A controlled clinical treatment trial of interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed pregnant women at 3 New York City sites.

OBJECTIVE: While treatment decisions for antepartum depression must be personalized to each woman and her illness, guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology include the recommendation of psychotherapy for mild-to-moderate depression in pregnant women. Although we previously demonstrated the efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression in a sample of Hispanic women, this study provides a larger, more diverse sample of African American, Hispanic, and white pregnant women from 3 New York City sites in order to provide greater generalizability. METHOD: A 12-week bilingual, parallel-design, controlled clinical treatment trial compared interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression to a parenting education program control group. An outpatient sample of 142 women who met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder was randomly assigned to interpersonal psychotherapy or the parenting education program from September 2005 to May 2011. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) was the primary outcome measure of mood. Other outcome scales included the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI). The Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) assessed mother's interaction with the fetus. RESULTS: Although this study replicated previous findings that interpersonal psychotherapy is a beneficial treatment for antepartum depression, the parenting education program control condition showed equal benefit as measured by the HDRS-17, EPDS, CGI, and MFAS. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the recommendation for the use of interpersonal psychotherapy for mild-to-moderate major depressive disorder in pregnancy. The parenting education program may be an alternative treatment that requires further study. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00251043

Symptoms of depression in a minority population of women from an urban obstetrics and gynecology clinic.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this exploratory study was to determine and compare the rates of depressive symptoms across 3 groups of African-American and Hispanic pregnant, postpartum, and nonperipartum gynecology patients in a hospital-based urban outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinic. METHOD: Seventy-eight subjects were recruited from the outpatient department of an inner city hospital. Each subject completed the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: Rates of depressive symptoms were high in all groups. Results, although not significant, indicated a worsening depression in the nonperipartum gynecology group compared with that in the obstetric sample. Affective components of the Beck Depression Inventory were significantly higher in the gynecology group than in the peripartum groups. CONCLUSION: We have identified an important clinical population of nonperipartum gynecology patients in need of diagnosis and treatment. Early identification of depression in women is an important strategy in which primary health workers have an important role.

Denial of pregnancy: a psychodynamic paradigm.

This article discusses denial of pregnancy. It includes clinical material from 17 women who not only denied pregnancy but committed neonaticide and were evaluated for forensic reasons. The forensic issues have been discussed elsewhere and are not considered here. The literature on denial of pregnancy taken in conjunction with the clinical profiles presented here indicates that women who deny pregnancy tend to experience dissociative psychopathology. Not all pregnant women who dissociate deny pregnancy, however. This article discusses why some women who dissociate but not all develop the dramatic symptom-denial of pregnancy.

Maternal infanticide associated with mental illness: prevention and the promise of saved lives.

OBJECTIVE: Although maternal infanticide is a rare event, a high proportion of cases occurs in the context of postpartum mental illness. The author reviews historical, legislative, and contemporary psychiatric perspectives on infanticide and discusses ways in which the psychiatric community can improve prevention of infanticide and promote appropriate treatment of mentally ill women who commit infanticide. METHOD: The case of Texas v. Andrea Yates, involving a mother with mental illness who drowned her five children, is used to illustrate society's complicated reactions to infanticide in the context of postpartum mental illness. RESULTS: In the United States, the complexity of the response to infanticide is demonstrated by the judicial system's reaction to such cases. Whereas England's Infanticide Law provides probation and mandates psychiatric treatment for mothers with mental illness who commit infanticide, "killer mothers" may face the death penalty in the United States. Contemporary neuroscientific findings support the position that a woman with postpartum psychosis who commits infanticide needs treatment rather than punishment and that appropriate treatment will deter her from killing again. Psychiatrists have a vital role in recognizing the signs and symptoms of peripartum psychiatric disorders, particularly postpartum psychosis, and in early identification of and intervention with at-risk mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of formal DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for postpartum psychiatric disorders promotes disparate treatment under the law. The psychiatric community should develop guidelines for the treatment of postpartum disorders, foster sharing of knowledge between psychiatry and the law, and do more to enlighten society about the effects of mental illness on thought and behavior so that decisions about the treatment and punishment of mentally ill persons will not be left exclusively in the hands of the judicial system.

Controlled clinical trial of interpersonal psychotherapy versus parenting education program for depressed pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: Antenatal depression is a significant risk factor for postpartum depression, with a 10%-12% prevalence in all pregnancies. Rates of depression are higher for pregnant women with chronic stressors, financial and housing problems, and inadequate social support. Despite the prevalence and associated family and infant morbidity, there are no controlled clinical treatment trials regarding this topic, to the authors' knowledge. APA has identified treatment of depression during pregnancy as a priority for clinical guidelines. METHOD: A 16-week bilingual controlled clinical trial compared a group receiving interpersonal psychotherapy for antepartum depression to a parenting education control program. Fifty outpatient antepartum women who met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to interpersonal psychotherapy or a didactic parenting education program. Thirty-eight women remained in the study and were included in the data analysis. Depressed mood was measured with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and the Hamilton depression scale measured recovery. RESULTS: The interpersonal psychotherapy treatment group showed significant improvement compared to the parenting education control program on all three measures of mood at termination. Recovery criteria were met in 60% of the women treated with interpersonal psychotherapy, according to a CGI score of < or = 2. In addition, there was a significant correlation between maternal mood and mother-infant interaction. CONCLUSIONS: Interpersonal psychotherapy is an effective method of antidepressant treatment during pregnancy and should be a first-line treatment in the hierarchy of treatment for antepartum depression.

An open trial of morning light therapy for treatment of antepartum depression.

OBJECTIVE: About 5% of pregnant women meet criteria for major depression. No pharmacotherapy is specifically approved for antepartum depression; novel treatment approaches may be welcome. The authors explored the use of morning bright light therapy for antepartum depression. METHOD: An open trial of bright light therapy in an A-B-A design was conducted for 3-5 weeks in 16 pregnant patients with major depression. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Seasonal Affective Disorders Version, was administered to assess changes in mood. A follow-up questionnaire was used to assess outcome after delivery. RESULTS: After 3 weeks of treatment, mean depression ratings improved by 49%. Benefits were seen through 5 weeks of treatment. There was no evidence of adverse effects of light therapy on pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that morning light therapy has an antidepressant effect during pregnancy. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to test this alternative to medication.