Postpartum psychosis explained after reason is used as defence for woman accused of killing her three kids
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
Questions have arisen over postpartum psychosis amid the ongoing trial of Lindsay Clancy, who stands accused of three counts of murder for the killings of her children.
The 35-year-old from Massachusetts is accused by prosecutors of intentionally killing her children, Cora, five, Dawson, three, and eight-month-old Callan, using exercise bands in a premeditated attack, which took place in 2023.
However, Clancy’s legal team argues that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time, which began when she welcomed her youngest daughter eight months prior.
She has pleaded not guilty but does not dispute that she carried out the killings, with the defence raising an insanity defence.
What is postpartum psychosis?
As per the NHS, postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health illness that can affect someone soon after giving birth, affecting around 1 in 1,000 mothers.
It’s important not to confuse postpartum psychosis with the normal mild mood changes that many women experience after having a baby, known as the ‘baby blues,’ which usually only lasts for a few days.
Postpartum psychosis is sometimes known as puerperal psychosis or postnatal psychosis and is a serious mental illness and should be treated as a medical emergency.
Symptoms usually begin suddenly within the first two weeks after giving birth, often within hours or days. More rarely, though, they can develop several weeks after the baby is born.
What are the symptoms of postpartum psychosis?
- Hallucinations - hearing, seeing, smelling or feeling things that are not there
- Delusions – suspicions, fears, thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true
- Mania – feeling very ‘high’ or overactive, for example, talking and thinking too much or too quickly, restlessness or losing normal inhibitions
- A low mood – showing signs of depression, being withdrawn or tearful, lacking energy, having a loss of appetite, anxiety, agitation or trouble sleeping
- Sometimes a mixture of both a manic mood and a low mood - or rapidly changing moods
- Feeling very confused
The NHS advises that you should see a GP immediately if you think you, or someone you know, may have developed symptoms of postpartum psychosis and request an urgent assessment on the same day.
You can call 111 if you cannot speak to a GP or do not know what to do next, or your midwife or health visitor may also be able to help you access care.
Details of Lindsay Clancy's murder trial
In the coming weeks, a 12-member jury will decide whether Clancy deliberately committed murder, in a trial that has made headlines around the world.
Following her children’s deaths, Clancy tried to take her own life, which resulted in her being left paralysed.
Her defence attorneys say she experienced hallucinations and delusions after giving birth and had been prescribed medical treatment for psychiatric issues that developed postpartum.
Meanwhile, the prosecution argues that Clancy sent her ex-husband, Patrick, away from their home on the day of the attack so he wouldn't be able to stop her, with the mother accused of allegedly looking into how long his errands might take beforehand.
Patrick, who has since divorced from his ex-wife and remarried, is serving as a witness for both the prosecution and the defence.
He testified that while he stepped up his efforts to help his wife find mental health care, he didn’t worry about the children’s safety because Clancy ‘did not show any intention of harming the kids’.
He explained: “I asked her if she needed to be kept away from them, and she said no. It was very confusing. The next minute, she was making them lunch or playing with them.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.
Topics: Crime, Mental Health, Parenting, US News, Women's Health
Madison Burgess