Delays in Postpartum Psychosis Care Raise Concerns
27 Oct 2026
Women experiencing postpartum psychosis may need to contact healthcare services several times before getting the support they need, according to research from Flinders University.
The researchers spoke with 15 women who had experienced postpartum psychosis (PPP). The women reported trying to access care an average of seven times before receiving help.
The interviews revealed concerns about how healthcare workers responded when women asked for support. Some women said healthcare workers missed their symptoms, ignored their concerns, or mistook their condition for the “baby blues”.
Published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, the study describes the difficulties some women faced while trying to explain their symptoms and obtain a diagnosis.
One woman said her condition had already become severe when she saw her GP. Another said a doctor laughed at some of the problems she described during her visit.
Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health condition that can occur after giving birth. It may cause sudden changes in mood, depression, unusually elevated mood, confusion, suspicious thoughts, false beliefs, or seeing or hearing things that others do not.
Identifying the condition early can be challenging. The researchers noted that about half of women who experience postpartum psychosis have no personal or family history of mental illness.
Dr Karen Spielman, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Psychological Medicine group, said the findings point to a need for greater understanding of the condition and earlier assessment. She also stressed that seeing the same GP during pregnancy can help doctors notice changes in a woman’s health.
She said improving care needs teamwork across the healthcare system, not just GPs.Midwives, emergency department teams, families and carers can also help identify concerns and support women in getting timely care.
Delays in Postpartum Psychosis Care Raise Concerns
Source: Flinders University study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, reported by newsGP.