Psychosis & Schizoprenia in Pregnancy

I am a 32-year-old woman contemplating my first pregnancy. I have a sister who has been treated for schizophrenic illness for the past ten years. I am afraid that I might develop a severe problem such as hers during pregnancy or the postpartum period. What is your advice?

Because your sister had a schizophrenic illness, your risk of having a psychotic episode in the postpartum period is possibly higher than in the general population. The exact incidence of schizophrenic illness during the postpartum period is not known, but in general, about one in 1,000 women will become psychotic in the postpartum.

I would encourage you not to worry overly about this, but to educate yourself about the illness and to assure that you have proper professional attention in this regard after your baby is born. Your doctor can be of help with this and should be able to refer you to a specialist who will be involved in your care and monitoring your condition after the birth of your baby.