A peculiar case of psychosis
Abstract ● Background: Psychosis in pregnancy is rare and could be life-threatening. It requires prompt evaluation and proper management accordingly. Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAr) encephalitis following herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is a rare cause of psychosis during pregnancy. ● Case presentation: A 20 year old woman at 18 weeks gestation presented with agitation and a 3-day history of hallucinations. She had a prior hospitalization for HSV encephalitis six weeks before. Her laboratory workup was unremarkable except for positive anti-NMDAr antibodies in the CSF. The patient was treated with high dose corticosteroids and plasmapheresis and she was discharged two weeks later fully recovered.● Conclusions: Anti-NMDAr encephalitis can be the culprit behind a new-onset of psychosis in pregnancy. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.