Postpartum delirious mania in a patient with diagnosis of bipolar disorder after cesarean delivery: a case report - Report - MDSpire

Postpartum delirious mania in a patient with diagnosis of bipolar disorder after cesarean delivery: a case report

  • By

  • Bowen Song

  • Yiwen Yuan

  • Zhixiong Li

  • Zhongrui Ma

  • Xiufang Yang

  • Zhe Li

  • June 10, 2026

  • 0 min

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Clinical Report: Delirious Mania Following Cesarean Section in a Bipolar Disorder Patient

Overview

This case study presents a rare instance of postpartum delirious mania in a 27-year-old woman with bipolar disorder type I, following her second cesarean section. The patient exhibited severe symptoms including agitation and psychotic features, which improved significantly after electroconvulsive therapy.

Background

Postpartum psychiatric episodes, particularly in women with bipolar disorder, are critical to recognize due to their potential severity and impact on both mother and child. Delirious mania, characterized by a combination of delirium and manic symptoms, is particularly rare and often underdiagnosed, posing life-threatening risks. Understanding its clinical features and treatment options is essential for timely intervention.

Data Highlights

No numerical data or trial data presented in the article.

Key Findings

  • The patient developed manic symptoms with psychotic features on the third postoperative day following cesarean section.
  • Initial treatments with sodium valproate, quetiapine, and propofol were ineffective.
  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) led to rapid improvement of symptoms.
  • Post-discharge, the patient remained free of manic or delirious symptoms while on maintenance therapy with olanzapine and sodium valproate.
  • Women with bipolar disorder may have an increased risk of delirious mania with multiple childbirths.

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should be vigilant for signs of delirious mania in postpartum women with a history of bipolar disorder, especially following cesarean sections. ECT may be a critical treatment option for rapid symptom relief in such cases.

Conclusion

Delirious mania is a rare but serious condition that can occur postpartum in women with bipolar disorder, and effective treatment options like ECT can lead to significant recovery.

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  4. Recommendations | Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance | NICE
  5. Postpartum psychosis - Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment | BMJ Best Practice US
  6. ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline #5: Treatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum - SMFM Publications and Clinical Guidelines
  7. BMC Psychiatry (Springer) — Sex-specific associations of episode type in bipolar I disorder with neuro-metabolic lateralization of the cortico-striatal-cerebellar (CSC) circuit
  8. Postpartum Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder: Review of Neurobiology and Expert Consensus Statement on Classification
  9. Recommendations | Antenatal and postnatal mental health: clinical management and service guidance | Guidance | NICE
  10. Postpartum psychosis - Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment | BMJ Best Practice US
  11. ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline #5: Treatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum - SMFM Publications and Clinical Guidelines
  12. Familial risk of postpartum psychosis - PMC
  13. The Matrix - Postpartum Psychosis, Psychotic Disorders and Bipolar Disorder during the Perinatal Period
  14. Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Responses of Patients in Delirious Mania: A Case Series - Sahu - Consortium PSYCHIATRICUM
  15. Frontiers | Postpartum Delirious Mania in a patient with diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder after Cesarean Delivery:a case report

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