Emotional and cognitive disturbance in the early puerperium.

Pregnancy and the post-partum period are generally regarded as maturational crises equal in importance to those of adolescence and the menopause. Stresses undergone during this period include (a) endocrine changes, (b) activation of unconscious psychological conflicts pertaining to pregnancy and (c) the intrapsychic reorganization ofbecorning a mother. In light of this, it seems likely that clinically significant interactions of psychosocial and endocrine factors will be found in the aetiology of these disorders. The first month post-partum shows the greatest incidence ofovert mental illness (@, 9), and this has led many to relate this disturb ance to the termination of placental function and the metabolic and/or endocrine changes accompanying this. Clinical psychiatric thought has been divided. Strecker and Ebaugh (io) felt the designation