psychiatric disease during pregnancy

Last reviewed 01/2018

Psychiatric problems are common at the beginning and end of pregnancy:

• first trimester of the pregnancy:
• unwanted pregnancy may cause anxiety and depression
• hyperemesis gravidarum
• pseudocyesis and Couvade syndrome
• reaction to termination or miscarriage
• anxiety about genetic screening

• third trimester of the pregnancy:
• anxiety about labour or parenthood
• fears about the normality of the foetus

Psychiatric disease during pregnancy is more common in those women with a previous psychiatric history.

Psychiatric disease often interferes with the continuity of ante-natal care.

Care should be taken when prescribing drugs to pregnant women.