Most psychiatrists and the Law would accept that a psychiatric illness is puerperal if it occurs within 12 months of childbirth.

Elation in the first 24 hours after pregnancy can precede one of the following three types of psychiatric disturbance:

• post-partum blues
• depressive illness
• puerperal psychosis

• advice from the UK National Screening Committee on antenatal screening for psychiatric disease in pregnancy....click here