Dr. Jennifer Payne

“when it is clear that a patient has had postpartum psychosis and acted on delusions as part of that illness, that that particular case should not progress to a murder trial, and should instead be relegated to a mental health treatment journey.”

Dr. Jennifer Payne · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-06

Dr. Payne expressed her view that cases involving postpartum psychosis and delusional acts should be treated as mental health matters rather than murder trials.

“I don't think the legal system has progressed to handle postpartum psychosis cases well. I think that there continues to be an amazing amount of stigma surrounding maternal mental health and psychiatric diagnosis.”

Dr. Jennifer Payne · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-06

Dr. Payne said the legal system still struggles to handle postpartum psychosis cases due to stigma around maternal mental health.

“Postpartum psychosis is a much rarer presentation, and many psychiatrists have never seen a case.”

Dr. Jennifer Payne · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-06

Dr. Payne noted that postpartum psychosis is so rare that many psychiatrists have never encountered a case.