Pregnancy in women with psychotic disorders

Summary

Clinical experience and past research suggest that women with psychotic disorders have special needs when it comes to the provision of family planning and obstetric care. The aim of this study was to examine variables related to these issues in a representative sample of women with psychotic disorders who were in contact with mental health services. Of the 110 women who completed the survey, 65 (59.1%) were mothers. These women had a total of 257 pregnancies and 198 live births. One hundred and thirty-four (52%) of the pregnancies were unplanned and twenty-five percent of these pregnancies ended in termination. This population suffers from a high rate of unwanted pregnancies and reproductive losses. Further research is needed to assess the pre- and peri-conceptual needs of these women in order to optimize outcomes for the mothers and their foetuses.