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Why a DSM diagnosis of postpartum psychosis is important for women in the US legal system

This article is less than 2 pages long, so if anyone has the time, check it out. The article author concludes, "As Spinelli noted 'Our reluctance to place postpartum disorders within a diagnostic framework often leads to tragic outcomes for women, family, and society' (Spinelli 2005, p. 19). To conclude, a distinct PPP diagnosis would represent a significant legal development for US mothers." What do you think of this suggestion regarding PPP (post-partum psychosis)?

8 comments

8 Comments

Marisa H

Jan 02, 2022

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Best Answer

Thanks for sharing! I think Spinelli is making a great point that can be applied with a much broader paintbrush. A distinct PPP diagnosis could encourage public awareness for the disorder, increase funding for postpartum support, and spur on research into identification, prevention, and therapy.

Additionally, in the article, there is a suggestion that the USA is unable to replace the insanity defense with infanticide laws due to the lack of a proper PPP diagnosis. In my opinion, part of this reluctance to utilize a PPP diagnosis is due to:

1. Lack of research involving pregnant women due to fetal safety concerns. Pharmacotherapy in particular is tricky in pregnant women considering the fluctuations in metabolism that occur throughout gestation. Further, women with bipolar disorder are at a higher risk of PPP. However, Lithium, which is a common mood stabilizer, has been found to elevate the risk of congenital malformations in fetuses.

2. Stigma against women who fail in their maternal roles. It seems many adults feel that protecting children is our utmost duty. Overcoming the negative emotions, or even visceral reactions, inspired by "bad moms" is difficult. I imagine convincing lawmakers to overcome this, in addition to asking for leniency is even more difficult.

I'd argue that there is a fascination with "bad moms" in our popular media (Mommy Dearest, Carrie, Dance Moms, etc.). This is even now a trope in many horror movies - Wisecrack has a really informative and entertaining video on this (below - CONTAINS SPOILERS). I believe that the first step to improving outcomes for women with PPP, especially in legal settings, starts with recognizing the difficulties of motherhood.