Psychoprophylaxis of Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Clinical material from five cases is presented in this discussion of postpartum depression in normal women. Favorable results were achieved by a preventive technic consisting of (1) familiarizing the pregnant woman with the unavoidable resuscitation of repressed infantile fears during pregnancy, contrasting these with harmless reality, and (2) pointing out that in refusing to admit these fears to herself she engenders postpartum depression. The author suggests that the general practitioner and obstetrician may practice this technic.