Psychiatric disorders in the puerperium. A follow-up study

The outcome of puerperal psychoses in a group of 66 patients was studied 10-11 years after the initial illness. The present health of the study group and a control non-puerperal group was compared using the Health Sickness Rating Scale (HSRS). The majority of the puerperal psychotics were primigravida. The rate of positive family history of psychiatric illness was similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in the scores of both group on the H.S.R.S. A startling finding was a mortality of 1 in 5 amongst the puerperal psychotics. These and other findings are discussed.