Psychosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Psychosis, including details on clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.

Psychosomatic disorders in pregnancy.

Tam WH, Chung T

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. tamwh@cuhk.edu.hk

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Common and important psychosomatic disorders in pregnancy reviewed here include perinatal depression, posttraumatic stress disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and postpartum psychosis. RECENT FINDINGS: Research has focused on antenatal depression as postpartum depression often has onset prior to delivery. Certain psychosocial and psychological interventions can effectively prevent postnatal depression. Although the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors was associated with miscarriage, preterm delivery, and fetal death, discontinuation of antidepressants also increased the relapse rate during pregnancy. Studies also show that about 8% of mothers had eating problems during their pregnancy, which increased to 19% in the postpartum period. Postpartum psychosis is an important diagnosis related to maternal death from suicide. Personal and family history of bipolar disorders are important risk factors. SUMMARY: Recent findings highlight the importance of correct diagnosis and awareness of serious mental illness. In view of the higher rate of relapse, women should be counselled carefully regarding discontinuation of antidepressants during pregnancy. Differentiation of posttraumatic stress disorders with comorbid anxiety and depression, awareness of risk factors, and clinical features of psychosis are important in the management of psychosomatic disorders in pregnancy.

Published 13 March 2007 in Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol, 19(2): 126-32.
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