What causes postpartum OCD?
Two main explanations for postpartum OCD have been described in the research literature. I will review them only briefly here since neither is definitive. First, let’s consider the biological model. Because pregnancy and the postpartum are biological events that involve fluctuations in hormones, some experts believe it is these hormonal fluctuations that give rise to postpartum OCD. In particular, levels of progesterone and oxytocin—two hormones that are involved in the termination of pregnancy—are in flux during this time period. Research has linked oxytocin, in particular, with serotonin, a neurotransmitter believed to play a role in OCD. Thus, it is thought that imbalances of oxytocin can change levels of serotonin in postpartum mothers, possibly leading to OCD. While the biological model is interesting, it remains speculative since it has not been well tested. One difficulty I have with this model is that it doesn’t explain why the obsessions in postpartum OCD tend to revolve aroun
