- Bridget Chesterton experienced postpartum psychosis after giving birth in January 2019, leading to two hospitalizations and recovery through medication and family support.
- Chesterton is sharing her story publicly, including a poem to be published in a journal in the fall.
- The ongoing trial of Lindsay Clancy, who claims she strangled her children while experiencing postpartum psychosis, has brought maternal mental health into mainstream conversation.
- On Thursday, hundreds of women gathered outside the courthouse to raise awareness about maternal mental health.
- Neutrogena issued a statement apologizing to Panettiere for past treatment related to her struggles with postpartum depression.
- Experts say the increased attention to maternal mental health is long overdue and call for better implementation of screening guidelines and policy changes.
- Postpartum psychosis is a mental health emergency that affects 1 to 2 out of 1,000 women after delivery, and while most who develop it do not harm their children, severe cases may lead to self-harm or harm to children.
- The trial of Lindsay Clancy has sparked a national conversation about maternal mental health, with many women sharing their experiences.
- Maternal mental health issues affect as many as 1 in 5 women in the US during pregnancy and the year after birth, yet stigma and misunderstanding often prevent open discussions.
Bridget María Chesterton experienced severe postpartum psychosis after giving birth in January 2019, losing touch with reality and struggling to remember her life.1289
“It’s something that we do not talk about as a society,” she said, advocating for awareness of maternal mental health issues.411
Researchers estimate that postpartum psychosis affects 1 to 2 out of 1,000 women after delivery, a stark contrast to the more common postpartum depression.
“If my daughter would not have had the support system,” Chesterton’s mother noted, “I don’t know how this would have turned out.”
The ongoing trial of Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of harming her children while experiencing postpartum psychosis, has brought this rarely discussed condition into the spotlight.
“There’s a lot of stigma around postpartum, and there’s a lot of misunderstanding,” said actress Hayden Panettiere, who has spoken about her own struggles with postpartum depression.6
Experts emphasize that 1 in 5 women experience mental health issues during or after pregnancy, yet many remain untreated due to stigma and lack of resources.
“Letting mental health conditions go untreated is a risk to both the pregnant parent and the baby,” said Dr. Andrea Diaz Stransky, highlighting the need for better screening and support systems for new mothers.
“If I screen and it’s positive, the waitlist for therapy is so long that this patient might not be able to access that soon enough,” noted care coordinator Griffen, pointing to systemic failures in maternal mental health care.
“Chesterton, a 52-year-old history professor, was hospitalized twice and credits antipsychotics and family support for her recovery. Experts note that postpartum psychosis affects 1 to 2 per 1,000 women, yet screening guidelines remain poorly implemented across the US.”
