Psychiatrist says Lindsay Clancy trial has "shown how much maternal mental healthcare is needed"
The Lindsay Clancy murder trial has sparked conversations around maternal and postnatal health. Dr. Mary Kimmel, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, joins CBS News to discuss.
The trial of Lindsay Clancy, a former nurse accused of murdering her three young children and attempting to end her own life, has brought attention to maternal and postnatal healthcare. According to Dr. Mary Kimmel, a psychiatrist specializing in treating women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, the trial has highlighted the need for better maternal mental healthcare.
Postpartum psychosis, a severe psychiatric illness that occurs in one to two per 1,000 women after delivery, is a little-known condition that has been misunderstood by experts and the general public, as reported by the Guardian Health. Kristina Delaney, founder of the non-profit advocacy group Cherished Mom, shared her experience of having postpartum psychosis, which she described as a battle for her mind and life.
She spent two weeks in a psychiatric unit and emphasized that the condition "completely blind-sided" her family, despite her being a registered nurse.
The trial has also sparked a scientific debate about including postpartum psychosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), according to the Guardian Health. The PBS NewsHour Health reported that the judge in Lindsay Clancy's trial initially considered declaring a mistrial but gave her defense attorney one hour to appeal.
Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, Guardian Health, PBS NewsHour Health — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
