Clancy Case Highlights Need for Education About Postpartum Psychosis

By Aaisha Alvi

Except for how Lindsay Clancy’s story ended in tragedy, I always knew that the story of the Massachusetts mother who took the lives of her three children was similar to mine. However, I didn’t realize how alike our stories were until I read about the malpractice lawsuit she has filed. From hearing command hallucinations, to experiencing delusions that made me feel like my body and actions were not in my control, to being dismissed multiple times when I sought help for my symptoms, Lindsay Clancy was me. The only difference between Clancy and me was that I was fortunate enough to eventually be diagnosed and treated for my severe psychiatric mental illness – postpartum psychosis. If not for the sixth provider I saw, my daughter and I would not be here today. Whether you and your children live or die when you have a perinatal mental health disorder (PMHD) should not depend on who your doctor is and what type of day they are having. It should rest on sound medicine that is grounded in science.

Though not common, occurring in 1-2 in 1000 births, this disorder causes mothers with it to experience hallucinations and/or delusions and lose touch with reality. Considering the condition occurs at the same rate as Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy, and has a very real risk of suicide and infanticide, healthcare providers’ ignorance about it is unconscionable. Any and every provider that cares for pregnant moms should have a basic understanding of the emergency symptoms of this condition. This is what will enable them to quickly rule out if it is postpartum psychosis when a new mom comes in, concerned about her mental health. In my case, despite telling doctors that I was hearing voices – a hallmark symptom of this illness, I was dismissed multiple times. That is why Clancy’s story, although disturbing, is not surprising to me and must not be allowed to happen again.

The blame for this level of ignorance about a condition like postpartum psychosis does not, however, rest solely with healthcare providers. Though postpartum psychosis has been documented since the time of Hippocrates (the fourth century), its existence is imperceptible in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), colloquially known as the “Bible” of mental health disorders. Considering the DSM lists all major mental health conditions, its failure to include postpartum psychosis as a stand-alone diagnosis not only makes it difficult to diagnose but also plays a role in why providers themselves may feel justified in remaining ignorant of it. Maybe the attention a lawsuit of this nature brings will ensure postpartum psychosis finally finds a place within the DSM’s hallowed pages. What would be even more ideal is if it could be within a chapter dedicated to postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, which is recognized to be the number one complication of childbirth.  

This malpractice lawsuit will never bring back the Clancy kids or change the way Lindsay and Patrick’s lives have been altered forever. What happened to Clancy did not need to happen, and those of us who did experience this illness as severely but received proper help and recovered are living proof of that. Whether the lawsuit moves forward or not, at the very least, it will allow us to reflect on how things can be done better for moms. Doing better includes ensuring every provider who cares for pregnant moms is educated about PMHDs, including postpartum psychosis. Nobody should die from a temporary and treatable condition like postpartum psychosis.

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