Postpartum mental disorders: clinical manifestations, therapeutic approach and extended prognosis – systematic literature review
Keywords:
Postpartum Depression; Risk Factors; Therapeutic Management; Prognosis; Puerperal Psychosis; Postpartum Mental DisordersAbstract
Introduction: postpartum mental disorders (TMPP) cover a broad spectrum that includes postpartum depression (DPP), puerperal psychosis (PP), postpartum anxiety disorders and other less frequent entities, with serious consequences on maternal health, child development and family dynamics.
Objectives: to systematically synthesize the evidence published between 2021 and 2026 on clinical manifestations, therapeutic management, and prognosis of TMPP.
Methods: the search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS and SciELO with MeSH/DeCS terms (“postpartum depression” OR “postpartum psychosis” OR “puerperal psychosis” OR “postpartum anxiety” OR “perinatal mental disorders” OR “postpartum OCD”) limited to the period from 2021 to 2026. We included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews, and cohort studies in humans; duplicates, articles without full text, and those not focused on the postpartum were excluded.
Results: Two thousand four hundred and fifty records were identified; after meeting the exclusion criteria, 39 studies remained. The global prevalence of post-pregnancy disorder (PPD) ranges from 10–20% (up to 28% during the pandemic), while post-pregnancy disorder (PPD) remains at 0.1–0.2%. Clinical presentation varies from mild affective symptoms to acute psychosis with a risk of infanticide. Management combines psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy; electroconvulsive therapy is reserved for severe cases. The prognosis is favorable with early intervention, although the risk of recurrence and long-term negative effects persists.
Conclusions: PPMDs are a preventable public health priority. Recent evidence reinforces the need for universal screening, multidisciplinary protocols, and preventive strategies to reduce morbidity.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Osvaldo de Lázaro González-Romero, María del Pilar Esquivel-Hernández, Ana Tahis Romero-González, Aylén de la Caridad Mota-Alonso, Yusmel Fuentes-Ferrales, Kenny Reynerio Laza-Guerra
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