Abstract
Women with a history of mental illness should be screened during early pregnancy, as the risk of recurrence following delivery is substantial. The risk of suicide in seriously mentally ill women is elevated following childbirth. Postpartum psychiatric illnesses respond to the same treatments as at other times; breastfeeding, however, limits medication choice. Mothers requiring admission to a psychiatric hospital following delivery should be admitted to a mother and baby unit unless contraindicated. Learning objectives: To recognise the risk factors and preventative measures for postnatal affective disorders. To discuss the psychological, pharmacological and social management. To understand the potential adverse effects of pharmacological treatment on the developing infant via breast milk. Ethical issues: Do the risks to both mother and infant of not treating postpartum psychiatric illness outweigh the risk to the infant of psychotropic medication? Please cite this article as: Oates M. Postnatal affective disorders. Part 2: prevention and management. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2008;10:231–235.
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