Which statement about bipolar disorder and the postpartum period is supported?

• A. Bipolar disorder cannot occur postpartum.
• B. Postpartum period reduces risk of mania.
• C. Postpartum only affects mood in nonbipolar individuals.
• D. Women with bipolar I have increased risk of subsequent episodes postpartum.

Answer: (D)

The postpartum period is a time of heightened vulnerability for bipolar disorder due to hormonal changes, disrupted sleep, and stress after childbirth. In bipolar I, this vulnerability translates into an increased risk of experiencing a new mood episode after delivery, making relapse more likely in the weeks following birth. This is why the statement about women with bipolar I having an increased risk of postpartum episodes is supported.

The other ideas don’t fit as well because bipolar illness can relapse postpartum (not something that never happens), the postpartum period does not reduce mania risk (it tends to elevate it), and mood changes after childbirth can occur in people without bipolar disorder too.