Woman diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder became delusional after childbirth: A case report

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common mental disorder that varies greatly in manifestation and causes much distress to individuals. We describe a case in which a Chinese woman with OCD became delusional after childbirth, and discuss the possible phenomenological and psychological alterations.

A 27-year-old woman presented to the Psychiatry Department of our hospital with obsessions and compulsions. After taking medication, her symptoms were alleviated. Three years later, during her pregnancy, the obsessions returned and even progressed into paranoid delusions after childbirth. After multiple adjustments of treatment along with several fluctuations, she finally achieved remission and gained reasonable insight.

This case suggests that the patient with OCD appeared to move along a continuum of beliefs, and highlights the importance of effective intervention during pregnancy, which would exert a significant impact on postpartum exacerbation outcomes.