Postpartum psychosis is at the center of the Lindsay Clancy trial. What is it?

Clancy has pled not guilty to the murder charges on the basis that she suffered from a mental health disorder called postpartum psychosis. The ongoing, high-profile trial has thrust the topic of maternal mental health—and postpartum psychosis in particular—into the national spotlight. Postpartum psychosis is a rare and severe mental disorder that occurs in people who have given birth. Recognizing postpartum psychosis quickly is important because people who have it are at a higher risk of suicide, Bergink says. Cases of infanticide may get a lot of attention, but they are extremely rare, even among patients with postpartum psychosis.