The Hidden Struggle New Moms Face: OCD After Childbirth

Can obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affect women after childbirth? New studies suggest it can, and even though it’s a topic that’s not commonly discussed, it turns out many women experience it after giving birth.

As women, we often face tough situations throughout our lives. Each stage brings its own challenges, and according to experts, this particular challenge can be dangerous if not recognized and addressed in time. "After childbirth, a woman experiences a drop in hormones, and the brain struggles with emotional and sensory regulation. If it’s not a first birth, women may already know what to expect and work with it, but nothing prepares you for the dramatic hormonal changes after your first birth.

"Nobody prepares you for the chaos where day and night blur together, or for the overwhelming worry about the new baby at home. It's pure chaos, at least until you get used to the cries for a diaper change, a bottle, or just a cuddle," says a clinical psychologist specializing in treating new mothers with post-birth OCD.

The persistent danger looming over mothers experiencing post-birth OCD isn’t just the obsessive negative thoughts but the potential harm they could intentionally or accidentally cause to their baby.

She explains that these women often experience uncontrollable crying, a sense of loneliness ("I feel alone in this battle"), and feelings of being misunderstood, regardless of their physical or emotional state. She further adds that "one in five women post-birth will experience what we refer to as 'anxiety disorders and compulsive mood states during the perinatal period' (that is, disorders related to pregnancy and childbirth).