Immediately after giving birth to her child, a woman from Kuala Lumpur threw her newborn baby girl from the 18th floor.
Residents from the block of apartments told police officers that they found the lifeless infant laying lifeless on the ground. Her placenta was also discovered a few meters away.
The 39-year-old woman and her five-year-old daughter lived with a married couple in a unit they were renting. When the couple heard her screams, they went to her and saw her bleeding.
READ: Baby blues vs Post-partum depression: What’s the difference?
They tried helping her but she grew hostile. "Her behavior changed drastically and blamed them for helping her.”
They had no idea that she was pregnant and had always thought that she was big-sized.
Police say that said the woman is a real estate agent from Negri Sembilan and was in the process of divorcing her husband.
Post partum psychiatric illness
It’s not uncommon for the mental state of women who have just given birth to change; in fact, it is perfectly normal.
Officials suspect that the Malaysian woman may be suffering from postnatal depression, which prompted her to do what she did.
Here’s some useful information on the different categories of postpartum psychiatric illnesses:
Postpartum blues or “the baby blues”
The “baby blues” usually occurs within the first week of delivery in 50-85% women and subsides by the second week.
Typical symptoms: Tearfulness Irritability Anxiety Mood fluctuations. These symptoms peak in the first week and improve gradually, says Dr Zachariah.
Postnatal Depression
This condition is usually observed in the first three months after delivery.
Typical symptoms: Feelings of persistent sadness and irritability, anxiety, lack of interest, negative thoughts, insomnia, changes in appetite, inability to care for herself Doubt or concerns regarding caring for her baby
Postnatal Psychosis (puerperal psychosis)
This is a very severe psychiatric disorder, which occurs in 0.1-0.2% or about 1-2 per thousand women after childbirth. It needs immediate intervention. Symptoms begin after delivery.
Typical symptoms: Confusion, disorientation, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, irrational, and delusional thoughts. Sometimes, mothers with this condition may believe that the child does not belong to her and is evil.
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