March 2009 · Vol. 21, No. 03Be on the lookout for postpartum depression
Q&A on PPD with Susan Hatters Friedman, MD, and Janelle Yates, OBG Management Senior Editor
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Fast Track
The differential diagnosis for PPD includes “baby blues,” bipolar disorder, postpartum psychosis, and medical causes
Red flags include a threat, suicidal statement, or excessive anxiety
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Susan
Hatters Friedman,
MDDr. Friedman is Senior Instructor, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in Cleveland, Ohio. She is on sabbatical at the Mason Clinic, Waitemata District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
The author reports no financial relationships relevant to this article.
As many as 85% of women develop some type of mood disturbance after pregnancy. Most cases resolve spontaneously in a matter of days but, sometimes, the mood disorder is serious. Here’s what an authority on the topic advises about how to identify women whose history and presentation merit further assessment and, possibly, treatment.
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