A comparative evaluation of psychotic and nonpsychotic reactions to childbirth.

Abstract

purpose of this paper is to validate the hypotheses suggested in a T"" preliminary study involving a group of 11 inpatients a t Hillside Hos-pita1 who were suffering a psychosis associated with childbirth. A comparison of the ego structure and the dynamics of a control group of nonpsychotic women after parturition and the studied group will furnish the data for this evaluation. In the previous paper (9), the writer proposed several tentative hypotheses to account for the pathological reactions in women as a consequence of parturition. They were as follows:

Counseling working mothers

“…A disturbing experience for many first‐time mothers, particularly those who postpone childbearing in favor of career development, is to realize how many of their “old” feelings and conflicts regarding their mothers are reactivated with the birth of their child. Indeed, Deutsch, 22 Bibring, 23 and Markham 24 clearly showed the predominant influence of past and present relationships between the woman and her own mother, on her reactions to pregnancy, birth, and the establishment of mother—child relations. Racamier and his colleagues, 25 in a study exploring the causes and treatment of childbirth psychosis and postpartum depression, found that the establishment of “maternalism” has its origins in the mother's own experiences as a girl.…”

Post partum disturbance ... A review of the literature in terms of stress response

“…Intense jealousy or identification with the infant may trigger intrapsychic conflict and associated illness. Several authors note that maturity is the key distinguishing factor between healthy and unhealthy puerperal adjustment 21,6,32 . They postulate that an immature woman responds to the stress of the puerperium with disturbance, a mature woman uses the parturition experience to resolve old conflicts and strengthen the feminine position.…”