Motherhood is bliss. But post natal depression creates a barrier between the new born child and the mother. Recent research showed that genes could be responsible for postpartum psychosis, the severe form of post natal depression, a mental disorder. Earlier researches associated post-natal depression with a mother’s personality, hormonal changes and circumstances. Nearly 10 to 15 percent women suffer from postpartum psychosis. Researchers from the Cardiff University, Birmingham University and Trinity College, Dublin found that there are chromosomal regions that supposedly harbor genes that may cause postpartum psychosis in women.

Dr Ian Jones, head of psychological medicine at Cardiff, who led the research, said that postpartum psychosis is classed as among the most severe episodes of illness seen in clinical practice. The consequences for the mother, infant and family are so serious that such episodes require close attention, often including hospitalization. We have identified chromosomal regions that are likely to harbour genes that predispose individuals to postpartum psychosis.

Researchers said that work has begun to isolate the gene to enable doctors to identify and treat women at risk from postpartum psychosis before they are affected.