Puerperal Mental Illness: Comparisons with Non-Puerperal Controls

Abstract

SummaryA sample of patients with puerperal mental illness requiring hospital admission were diagnosed retrospectively according to the criteria of DSM III. Comparisons were made with controls matched for diagnosis on a number of features of past history, symptoms, management and outcome. Puerperal illness was associated with more frequent puerperal and less frequent non-puerperal previous admissions, more frequent delusions and greater use of ECT.