Early Literature on Postpartum Psychosis

• The earliest literature on postpartum psychosis dates back to the time of Hippocrates.
  
  

The 16th and 17th Century

• Swedish physician Felix Plater published a case in his book, Praxeos Medicae (1602), followed by a case written by J. Schenck in 1609. However, according to the Archives of Women's Mental Health, German obstetrician Friedrich Benjamin Osiander published the first full and extensive description of postpartum psychosis in 1797.
  
  

Postpartum Psychosis Recognized as a Disorder

• Even though several case studies of postpartum psychosis were published, then fully described in 1797, a pregnancy information website, Pregnancy-Info.net claims postpartum psychosis did not receive recognition as a disorder until 1850.
  
  

First Complete Description

• Friedrich Benjamin Osiander (1759 -1822) is recognized as the first physician to publish a complete description of postpartum psychosis.
  
  

Ian Brockington

• Currently, physician Ian Brockington dedicates his practice to the study of women's mental health, especially including postpartum psychosis.Since 1975, Brockington's clinical practice has included the psychiatry of motherhood. He is the author of Motherhood and Mental Health.