[Psychoses during the puerperium. Review of the literature]

More than half of the psychoses which develop a few weeks after delivery are manic depressive psychoses. A very limited fraction are schizoaffective psychoses. Up to one fourth are difficult to classify on account of dominating symptoms such as disturbances of consciousness and schizophrenic symptoms. No organic etiology has been found for these disturbances of consciousness. In British investigations, the hypothesis has been presented that these psychoses with atypical symptomatology represent a less serious variant of manic depressive psychoses. This question can only be solved by investigations concerning the etiology of manic depressive psychoses. In the present article, the hypothesis is presented that these psychoses may be reactive psychoses. Investigations concerning the etiology of reactive psychoses are necessary.