Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: puerperal psychosis: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: puerperal psychosis

Sample item

A woman ten days after delivery becomes agitated, hears voices telling her the baby is possessed and smothers the infant. Which condition is most likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Postpartum psychosis

Postpartum psychosis appears in the first weeks after delivery with hallucinations, delusions and confusion, and carries a risk of infanticide and suicide. It is a medical emergency. Blues are mild and transient, and depression does not have such psychotic features.

Option by option

  • A. Postpartum psychosis (correct)

    Correct. Early postpartum hallucinations and delusions with harm to the infant define postpartum psychosis.

  • B. Obsessive compulsive disorder

    Obsessive compulsive disorder has intrusive thoughts which the patient resists, without hallucinations.

  • C. Postpartum blues

    Postpartum blues are mild tearfulness within days and without psychosis.

  • D. Non-psychotic postpartum depression

    Non-psychotic depression lacks hallucinations and delusions.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Postpartum psychosis. Postpartum psychosis appears in the first weeks after delivery with hallucinations, delusions and confusion, and carries a risk of infanticide and suicide.

Why is "Obsessive compulsive disorder" not the answer?

Obsessive compulsive disorder has intrusive thoughts which the patient resists, without hallucinations.

Why is "Postpartum blues" not the answer?

Postpartum blues are mild tearfulness within days and without psychosis.

Why is "Non-psychotic postpartum depression" not the answer?

Non-psychotic depression lacks hallucinations and delusions.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: puerperal psychosis in Forensic Medicine. It is a medical emergency. Blues are mild and transient, and depression does not have such psychotic features.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: puerperal psychosis?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.