Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39222077›Full record

SynthesisArchives of women's mental health2025

A systematic review of postpartum psychosis resulting in infanticide: missed opportunities in screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Alexandria Y Alford, Alisha D Riggins, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Logan T Cowan, Emmanuela C Nwaonumah, Tobi F Oloyede, Sarah T Sejoro, Wendy S Kutten

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Archives of women's mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Alexandria Y AlfordDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 7989, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA. alex1alford@gmail.com.
Alisha D RigginsDepartment of Health Policy and Community Health, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Joanne Chopak-FossDepartment of Health Policy and Community Health, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Logan T CowanDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 7989, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Emmanuela C NwaonumahDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 7989, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Tobi F OloyedeDepartment of Health Policy and Community Health, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8015, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Sarah T SejoroDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 7989, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Wendy S KuttenDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 7989, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeImpacting 1 in 1000 women, untreated postpartum psychosis is associated with a 4% infanticide rate. This systematic review aims to identify factors that are associated with infanticide resulting from psychosis in the puerperal period and pinpoint areas of missed opportunity for intervention.

methodsA systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to identify and synthesize cases of maternal infanticide among perinatal females with evidence of postpartum psychosis. Four independent reviewers screened 231 articles identified in searches of three databases (PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science) for studies conducted from 2013 to 2023.

resultsTwelve studies were included in the final review. Findings indicate that those experiencing puerperal psychosis have increased incidence of infanticide suggesting missed opportunities for intervention and treatment. Common factors in mothers who committed infanticide as a result of delusions and/or hallucinations associated with PMADs were identified, including lack of standardized screening tools, preference for traditional and/or cultural healing practices, and access to care.

conclusionThe current body of evidence supports developing and evaluating clinical interventions aimed at improving maternal mental health outcomes and infant outcomes in perinatal women experiencing puerperal psychosis.

Indexed as

InfanticideMothersPostpartum PeriodPsychotic DisordersPuerperal DisordersFemaleHumansMass ScreeningPregnancyInfanticidePerinatal mood and anxiety disordersPsychotic disordersWomen’s health

Identifiers

PMID39222077

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.