The Psychoses of Menstruation and Childbearing

This book reviews the range of psychoses that complicate the reproductive process, describing a range of interventions and preventive strategies.

Ian Brockington (Author)

9781107113602, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 11 August 2017

450 pages, 2 b/w illus. 33 tables
24.1 x 16.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.81 kg

Childbearing, from the standpoint of psychological medicine, is the most complex event in human experience. Of the dozens of disorders that affect the generative process, or are unleashed as complications, many fall under the heading of 'psychoses' - profound disturbances of thought, perception, cognition and behaviour. These psychoses disrupt personal and family life at a critical time. Reviewing the wide range of psychoses that complicate the reproductive process, Ian Brockington proposes radical changes to the concepts of postpartum and menstrual psychoses, with suggestions for fresh research initiatives. Armed with this comprehensive knowledge and wielding a raft of interventions, many women can be restored to health and their vital roles in the family and community. When the risk factors are known, multidisciplinary preventive strategies can transform the lives of vulnerable women. This is essential reading for psychiatrists, obstetricians and gynaecologists, midwives, general practitioners, neuroscientists and related professions worldwide.

Foreword
Preface
List of abbreviations
Part I. Introduction: 1. Data
2. History
Part II. The Organic Psychoses of Pregnancy and the Puerperium: 3. Infective delirium
4. Eclamptic and Donkin psychoses
5. Wernicke–Korsakow psychosis
6. Chorea psychosis
7. Vascular disorders
8. Other specific neuropsychiatric disorders
9. Incidental organic psychoses
Part III. The Psychopathology of Parturition: 10. Introduction
11. Parturient delirium
12. Unconscious delivery
13. Acts of desperation
14. Other parturient psychoses
15. Delirium and stupor immediately after the birth
Part IV. Non-Organic Psychoses of Childbearing: 16. The literature
17. Symptoms
18. Classification
19. Clinical forms
20. Episode onset
21. The bipolar/cycloid group
22. Management
23. Risks
Part V. Menstrual Psychosis: 24. The catamenial process
25. Medicine and menstruation
26. Definition and classification
27. Timing within the menstrual cycle
28. Timing within the life cycle
29. Links with the psychoses of childbearing
30. Investigations
31. Causes
32. Management
Part VI. The Challenge and the Opportunity: 33. What is known
34. Impediments to the growth of knowledge
35. Research opportunities
Appendix: the Anne Roper interview
Index.

Subject Areas: Psychiatry [MMH], Gynaecology & obstetrics [MJT]