A 24 year old primipara cries easily, feels low, and reports mood swings beginning on postpartum day 3. She sleeps when the baby sleeps, eats adequately, and has no thoughts of self harm. Her symptoms resolve completely by day 10. The most likely diagnosis is:

• A Postpartum blues ✓
• B Postpartum psychosis
• C Postpartum depression requiring antidepressant therapy
• D Postpartum thyroiditis with depressive features

Explanation

Postpartum blues affect up to 80 percent of mothers, begin within the first 3 to 5 days, peak around day 5, are self limiting within 2 weeks, and need only reassurance. Persistence beyond 2 weeks, functional impairment, anhedonia or suicidal ideation would indicate postpartum depression. Psychosis involves delusions and hallucinations and usually declares itself within the first fortnight but far more dramatically.

Reference: Williams Obstetrics, 26th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.