Kudos to El Paso, TX Postpartum Support International (PSI) coordinator and attorney Susan Strelitz, along with her colleague Sandy Liu, for such an articulate editorial piece responding to the verdict in the Andrea Yates trial, and to the issue of postpartum psychosis. With so little understanding of this rare but very serious condition, we desperately need intelligent, proactive voices as part of the public and professional dialogue!

"Postpartum Psychosis Merits New Look"
The El Paso Times

Thanks also to the editors of The Record in New Jersey for their thoughful and research-based argument in this op-ed:

"Beyond the Yates Verdict"

And this from Postpartum Support International (PSI):

"PSI. . . is encouraged by the appropriate recognition and characterization of postpartum psychosis as reflected in today's verdict.

"While postpartum psychosis represents a tiny fraction - less than 1% - of postpartum spectrum disorders, our position remains that with appropriate screening and treatment, such tragedies can and will be prevented. Postpartum mood disorders are family illnesses, community illnesses requiring the vigilance of all those involved in a woman's perinatal healthcare team. We must not allow the tragedies which can result from untreated postpartum psychosis to further stigmatize postpartum depressive / anxiety disorders which are not uncommon (up to 20% of postpartum mothers will experience significant mood disruptions) and highly treatable. Rather we must continue to focus on encouraging women, their families and healthcare team to seek treatment at the earliest symptom recognition with the confidence that full recovery is possible when early detection and screening methods are in place."

To read the full text of PSI's response to yesterday's court ruling in Texas, click here.