Cycloid psychoses predominate in severe postpartum psychiatric disorders.
BACKGROUND
The nosological status of postpartum psychoses has remained controversial because of their often 'atypical' symptomatology. A polydiagnostic approach may further clarify this issue.


METHODS
In a retrospective study, we applied the ICD-10 and Leonhard's classification to 39 patients with severe postpartum psychiatric disorders. The patients were personally reexamined on average 12.5 years (6-26 years) after the onset of the illness.


RESULTS
An acute onset and a polymorphous psychotic symptomatology with rapid changes characterized the majority of our cases. Unipolar depressive disorders (28%) and acute polymorphous psychotic disorders (21%) represented the largest proportions within the ICD-10-classification. Applying Leonhard's classification, over half the patients (54%) suffered from a cycloid psychosis. Among cycloid psychoses, motility psychoses clearly predominated. Schizophrenias occurred rarely (10%) according to both classifications.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to the unknown prevalence of the various diagnoses among women of child-bearing age, it is impossible to statistically infer a specific association between childbirth and a distinct diagnosis from our data.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that cycloid psychoses, in particular motility psychoses, account for the majority of postpartum psychoses, and do not support the hypothesis of a nosological independence of postpartum psychoses.
Pfuhlmann
B
B
Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Stöber
G
G
Franzek
E
E
Beckmann
H
H
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index