A Massachusetts courtroom is grappling with a critical question: did postpartum psychosis cause a mother to take the lives of her three children?
Jurors heard opening statements Monday in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, who previously worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both the prosecution and defense agree that she strangled her children, all aged 5 or younger, in 2023. However, the two sides are divided on whether she bears criminal responsibility for those actions.
Clancy and her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, have both filed lawsuits claiming her medical providers failed to properly identify and treat her condition.
So what exactly is postpartum psychosis?
The condition is rare, estimated to affect only 1 to 2 women out of every 1,000 after childbirth. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic classify it as a mental health emergency that can severely distort a person’s grip on reality.
While the condition can strike any new mother, the risk is higher for women with certain pre-existing mental health conditions. A 2023 study published by researchers at the Medical University of Lublin in Poland found that roughly half of those who develop postpartum psychosis had a prior psychiatric history. The most common risk factor linked to the condition is bipolar affective disorder, which is characterized by extreme mood swings.
Editor’s Note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.
Although the vast majority of women with postpartum psychosis do not harm their children, those with the most severe cases may attempt to hurt their children or themselves.
Health experts stress the importance of seeking immediate medical attention if you, your partner, or a family member shows signs of the condition.
Postpartum psychosis typically develops within a few days of giving birth, though it can emerge up to six weeks after delivery. Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and other changes in behavior. Women may also experience mood swings such as mania or depression, disorganized thinking, insomnia, irritability, or agitation.
It’s important to distinguish postpartum psychosis from two other conditions that are far more common. Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can also be serious — a 2024 study found U.S. rates reached 19% in 2021. Even more common is “baby blues,” a milder condition affecting about 8 in 10 new mothers shortly after delivery.
With baby blues, feelings of sadness and crying spells typically don’t interfere with a mother’s ability to care for herself or her newborn. However, if those feelings persist beyond two weeks, it may indicate postpartum depression. Warning signs of postpartum depression include deep despair, anxiety, guilt, worthlessness, low energy, poor concentration, reduced appetite, inability to sleep, constant worry about the baby, or thoughts of self-harm.
Postpartum psychosis is considered the most severe of all postpartum psychiatric disorders. Women diagnosed with the condition typically require inpatient mental health treatment, which can include involuntary hospitalization. Treatment options range from medication to electroconvulsive therapy — a procedure performed under anesthesia in which small electric currents are passed through the brain to intentionally trigger a brief seizure.
Medical experts emphasize that early intervention significantly improves the chances of recovery.
