The Factors Associated with Psychiatric Disorders in Puerperium

Motherhood is a status of universal significance, but childbirth, which is a prerequisite for attaining this status, is a stressful process which affects the mind, the body or both. Evidence for the development of major mental illness following childbirth has been recognized since ancient times. Hippocrates reported psychiatry disorders among his maternity patients in the pre Christian era and theories have been put forward to explain psychiatric disorder in puerperium. The hormonal theory sought to explain non psychotic depression in the puerperium on the falling levels of hormones of pregnancy, this theory has not been upheld since the disorder does not necessarily subside when hormonal levels return to normal, also because only a minority of women experience this disorder when all do have a change in hormone levels in the puerperium. Factors found in this work include poor social support, poor cordial relationship and negative change in marital relations within six months. These issues require a multi disciplinarian approach involving the obstetricians, mid-wives, psychiatrist, clinical psychologists and social workers