peripartum onset

03:55 Feb 13, 2014 

Hi Saeed, peripartum is not a "process"...it only refers to a time-frame.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/peripartum

I think you may be thinking of "parturition", which means "childbirth/delivery"

All of this discussion comes from a change in the American Psychiatric Association's change from the DSM-4's definition from "Major Depressive Disorder with postpartum onset" to the latest DSM-5's definition "...with peripartum onset"

Basically, the old definition means "depression starting after delivery" and the new definition means "depression starting shortly before or after delivery"

See Ali Beikian's link http://www.postpartum.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=URu+dRsV...

I hope this helps make the meanings clear.

20:31 Feb 12, 2014 

Dear Edward, we have another point here, onset means the start right, but peripartum is the process of baby`s pushing through mothers uterus septum just before the final step, baby delivery. This pushing which usually happens every 5 minutes, puts the mother in an enormous pain. This is the first biologic clock ringing for mother to inform that the baby is coming, being ready for delivery.

20:56 Feb 11, 2014 

Some clarification is needed here, I think.

"onset" does not describe a mental disorder...it basically means "start/beginning"

"peripartum onset" means "starting in the last month of pregnancy or first few months after delivery"

peripartum /peri·par·tum/ (-pahr´tum) occurring during the last month of gestation or the first few months after delivery, with reference to the mother. Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

The 1994 edition of the DSM used the term "Major Depressive Disorder with postpartum onset" to describe depression starting after delivery.

The 2013 edition has changed the time frame...it is now "...with peripartum onset"...that is, the depression can start before delivery.

See http://cognitive-psychiatry.com/peripartum-depression/

I hope this clarifies the usage of "onset" here.