Psychiatric Emergencies in Perinatal Women: A Retrospective Analysis

Objective: The perinatal period represents a critical juncture in a woman's life marked by profound emotional, social, and physical changes. During this phase, there is a propensity for the exacerbation of pre-existing psychiatric symptoms or the emergence of new ones. Notably, there is often an uptick in psychiatric emergencies and presentations to emergency psychiatric departments among women in the perinatal period. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate women accessing emergency psychiatric departments during pregnancy and the postpartum period, focusing on their presenting complaints, diagnoses, clinical trajectory, and factors influencing the decision for inpatient treatment. Material and Method: A retrospective review was conducted on the records of 11,419 women aged 18 to 45 who sought care at the Psychiatric Emergency Department of Bakirkoy Prof.Dr. Mazhar Osman Research and Training Hospital Hospital between July 2015 and July 2016. Results: Among them, the records of 163 women who were either pregnant or within one year postpartum were analyzed. Of the women accessing services during the perinatal period, 46% were pregnant, while 54% were in the postpartum phase. Additionally, 38.7% of these women presented to the psychiatric department for the first time. Distress and anxiety emerged as the most common reasons for seeking help. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed between the pregnancy and postpartum periods regarding presenting complaints and clinical progression. However, the incidence of psychotic disorders was notably higher during the postpartum period compared to pregnancy. Through logistic regression analysis involving pregnancy status, presenting complaints, and diagnoses, it was determined that the nature of the presenting complaint significantly influenced the decision for inpatient treatment. Notably, scepticism, agitation, and suicidal ideation were identified as the most prevalent complaints among women who required inpatient care. Conclusion: Mental health challenges during the perinatal period not only jeopardize the well-being of the woman but also impact the health of the infant. Detecting and addressing emergent psychiatric issues during this phase are pivotal for timely intervention and preventive measures.