Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis
Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis :
Ethical Decisions and Sentencing
PHI 107 Philosophy of Human Conduct
June 10, 2010
Brief Outline:
Description of Topic
Definition
Sentencing
Mental Hospital
Prison
Death Penalty
Ethics behind Harsh Sentencing
Kantian Ethics
Cultural Relativism
Ethics behind Sympathetic Sentencing
Feminist/Care Ethics
Intuitionists
*
Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis: Ethical Decisions and Sentencing
Postpartum depression affects approximately ten to twenty-two percent of women and as many as about eighty percent of women suffer from some sort of “baby blues”. Even so, the much more serious problem of postpartum psychosis only occurs in as few as one in every five hundred births (Williams, 2002). Postpartum psychosis can have catastrophic outcomes, like in the case of Andrea Yates. What should happen to women like Andrea? Prison, the death penalty or a mental institution? Ethical issues, such as postpartum psychosis crimes, are debated using various theories of ethics. Postpartum psychosis tends to have a rapid onset within the first four weeks after giving birth, whereas postpartum depression has a slower onset occurring around weeks six through twelve after childbirth (Williams, 2002). In postpartum psychosis, the symptoms include mood changes, delusional thoughts, paranoia and hallucinations. Symptoms can intensify or lessen. Women suffering are often afraid to ask for help due to the paranoia and guilt felt surround the disorder. Left to manage symptoms themselves, tragedies often occur as affected women committing suicide or infanticide. When such crimes occur, people debate how to deal with the women accused. Being committed to a mental institution is one course of action for such women. The argument for this is that these women are in need of psychiatric treatment, that they are unable to distinguish between right or wrong at the time of act due to their altered view on reality. Andrea Yates, for
Ethical Decisions and Sentencing
PHI 107 Philosophy of Human Conduct
June 10, 2010
Brief Outline:
Description of Topic
Definition
Sentencing
Mental Hospital
Prison
Death Penalty
Ethics behind Harsh Sentencing
Kantian Ethics
Cultural Relativism
Ethics behind Sympathetic Sentencing
Feminist/Care Ethics
Intuitionists
*
Tragedies of Postpartum Psychosis: Ethical Decisions and Sentencing
Postpartum depression affects approximately ten to twenty-two percent of women and as many as about eighty percent of women suffer from some sort of “baby blues”. Even so, the much more serious problem of postpartum psychosis only occurs in as few as one in every five hundred births (Williams, 2002). Postpartum psychosis can have catastrophic outcomes, like in the case of Andrea Yates. What should happen to women like Andrea? Prison, the death penalty or a mental institution? Ethical issues, such as postpartum psychosis crimes, are debated using various theories of ethics. Postpartum psychosis tends to have a rapid onset within the first four weeks after giving birth, whereas postpartum depression has a slower onset occurring around weeks six through twelve after childbirth (Williams, 2002). In postpartum psychosis, the symptoms include mood changes, delusional thoughts, paranoia and hallucinations. Symptoms can intensify or lessen. Women suffering are often afraid to ask for help due to the paranoia and guilt felt surround the disorder. Left to manage symptoms themselves, tragedies often occur as affected women committing suicide or infanticide. When such crimes occur, people debate how to deal with the women accused. Being committed to a mental institution is one course of action for such women. The argument for this is that these women are in need of psychiatric treatment, that they are unable to distinguish between right or wrong at the time of act due to their altered view on reality. Andrea Yates, for
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