Postpartum psychosis is rare, affecting an estimated one or two out of every thousand mothers, and there have been very few instances of women who kill their children in the throes of the disorder. But other maternal mental illnesses are common. An estimated one in seven women experience conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder during pregnancy or in the year after having a baby.

Many cases can be treated effectively, and there have been promising developments, including targeted counseling programs and the first pill for postpartum depression. But some cases are complex, with a variety of symptoms that may require trying different medications and intensive treatment, experts said.

“We have to acknowledge in the field that there are nuances here,” Dr. Patterson said.

Patients Are Anxious

Since the Clancy trial began in July, Postpartum Support International, a nonprofit that provides resources and support on maternal mental health, has received more outreach than usual to its help line, said Wendy Davis, the organization’s president and chief executive officer. She said that in August, the help line received, via phone calls, texts and online forms, 1,410 requests for support and referrals, an increase of nearly 70 percent from the 837 requests received in August 2025.

Ms. Davis said many of those reaching out have mentioned the Clancy case. Some women were experiencing postpartum depression or other psychiatric symptoms when they contacted the help line, and many of their calls reflected high levels of anxiety and stress, she said.

“They’re having a really significant increase in fear and anxiety about what could happen,” she said, with patients wondering “could things get worse and worse?” Even more striking, Ms. Davis said, “we’re hearing from people who have already recovered and who feel that they were healed, they were done, they hadn’t had symptoms for years. With this acute awareness and misinformation and judgment in the news, mostly social media, they are feeling a return of symptoms, a return of fears.”