Mild hypomania (the highs) can be a feature of the first postpartum week. Association with later depression.
About 10% of women show elation and associated features of hypomania in the first 5 days following childbirth. These symptoms can be detected using a self-rating scale (the 'Highs') based on SADS-L criteria. This phenomenon has been confirmed using the observer-rated Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale, which also revealed a high degree of related irritability. Significantly more women scoring > or = 8 on the Highs scale at 3 days postpartum went on to manifest depression at 6 weeks than did subjects with no psychopathology in the early puerperium. It is suggested that the 'highs' followed by depression may be a mild and common form of bipolar disorder.
Department of Chemical Pathology, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, London.
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Glover
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Liddle
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Taylor
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Sandler
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results