Nurses--psychiatrists' main collaborators when treating women with postpartum psychosis

Assessment and Care of Childbearing Women With Severe and Persistent Mental Illness

Severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) refers to complex mood disorders that include major depressive disorder with or without psychosis; severe anxiety disorders resistant to treatment; affective psychotic disorders including bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder; and other nonaffective subtypes of schizophrenia. SPMIs affect 1 in 17 people and are among the leading causes of disability and impaired health-related quality of life in the United States. Caring for childbearing women with preexisting SPMI can be challenging for maternal-child health clinicians. This article provides an overview of SPMI during pregnancy and challenges for clinicians, including early identification, accuracy of diagnoses, and appropriate management through care coordination among an interdisciplinary team that includes obstetric providers, psychiatrists, nurses, and others.

The Recovery Process of Postpartum Psychosis from Both the Woman's and Next of Kin's Perspective - An Interview Study in Sweden

Objectives:

The most serious type of psychiatric disorder in connection with childbirth is postpartum psychosis. With this disorder occasionally follows emotional rejection of the infant which has serious long term effect on mother and child. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of the recovery process of postpartum psychosis from the women, from the partners of the women, and their next of kin.

Methods:

Interviews were conducted with seven women, who had previously suffered postpartum psychosis, and six of their next of kin. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis.

Results:

Two categories emerged: the recovery process and the circumstances of the support provided. The women and their next of kin spoke about the turning point in the illness, their own personal as well as their social recovery, the importance of support not only from relatives and friends, but also from professionals, and the use of medication. However, the key to recovery was an internal decision by the women themselves.

Conclusion:

Conclusion is that the recovery from this severe mental disorder requires hard work and the key to their recovery was the decision made by the women. This disorder causes a mental darkness to descend, but at the start of the recovery a dim light shines in the dark tunnel. The nursing staff must be made aware that good sleep is important for the psychiatric treatment and that recovery may take a long time. The nurse needs to provide hope and encouragement, as well as help the woman to recognise the strength that exists within her. To reduce the risk of a recurrence of the disorder, the staff needs to offer follow up visits.

Pre-conception to parenting: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature on motherhood for women with severe mental illness

The majority of women with a severe mental illness (SMI) become pregnant and have children. The aim of this systematic review and meta-synthesis was to examine the qualitative research on the experiences of motherhood in women with SMI from preconception decision making to being a mother. The experiences of the health professionals treating women with SMI were also reviewed. Eleven databases were searched for papers published up to April 25, 2012, using keywords and mesh headings. A total of 23 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria on the views of women with SMI, eight reported the views of health professionals including one which reported both. The meta-synthesis of the 23 studies on women's views produced two overarching themes Experiences of Motherhood and Experiences of Services. Sub-themes included the following: Guilt, Coping with Dual Identities, Stigma, and Centrality of Motherhood. Four themes emerged from the synthesis of the eight papers reporting the views of health professionals: Discomfort, Stigma, Need for education, and Integration of services. An understanding of the experiences of pregnancy and motherhood for women with SMI can inform service development and provision to ensure the needs of women and their families are met.

Experiences of the first days of postpartum psychosis: an interview study with women and next of kin in Sweden

The aim of this study was to explore accounts of the first days of postpartum psychosis from different perspectives, that is, that of the women and their next of kin. Interviews were conducted with seven women with postpartum psychosis and six interviews were done with the next of kin. The overall theme was Shades of Black with A Ray of Light, revealing a difficult experience of darkness, despair, and suffering. For the women, the experience cannot be shared fully other than with those who have lived through it themselves. For the next of kin, the illness is incomprehensible and it proved difficult to express in words what these relatives believe the women were going through. The women and their next of kin spoke about loss of sleep, being in an unreal world, thoughts that moved from having a wanted to an unwanted baby, being infanticidal, and having suicidal ideation. The women and their next of kin described the situations in different ways. The women gave an account of their illness in the strongest of terms, while the language used by the next of kin was much milder. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing the next of kin as key sources in early recognition of the disorder, which would make early treatment possible and support recovery.

Involving the family in the care and treatment of women with postpartum psychosis: Swedish psychiatrists' experiences

The aim of the study was to describe Swedish psychiatrists' experiences of involving the family in the treatment of women with postpartum psychosis. A qualitative design was used, and semistructured qualitative research interviews were conducted with nine psychiatrists from the south of Sweden. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four categories were found: the family as a resource, the family as coworkers, preparing the family for the future, and the family as a burden. The result showed that the psychiatrists considered the family to be a resource to which they devoted a great deal of care and effort. It was particularly important to involve the partner, informing about the course of the illness and the steps that need to be taken in the event of a relapse and reducing any guilt feelings. The psychiatrists instilled confidence and hope for a future of health and further child bearing. The family members' limited understanding of the treatment may impede the involvement of the family. Conclusion of the study was that the goal for family involvement was to facilitate the women's care and treatment. Further studies are needed to provide suggestions on how to develop family involvement in the care of women suffering from postpartum psychosis.