BMJ  2008;336:93-96 (12 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39393.689595.BE

Practice

Pregnancy Plus

Eating disorders in pregnancy

Veronica Bridget Ward, GP registrar

1 10 Nicholson Road, Oxford OX3 0HW

ward_veronica@hotmail.com

Pregnancy can complicate an eating disorder as changes in body shape may increase anxiety about weight gain. Pregnant women with eating disorders need enhanced monitoring and postnatal support

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Eating disorders are more common than is realised in women of reproductive age. Anorexia nervosa has a prevalence of up to seven per 1000 in the UK population and is especially common in adolescent girls and young women.1 Bulimia nervosa is more common and affects a slightly older age group, with a prevalence of 0.5-1% in women of reproductive age.1 Atypical eating disorders (eating disorder not otherwise specified) are probably even more common, but little is known about their prevalence. People in the atypical group have abnormal eating behaviour but do not meet the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.1 A retrospective questionnaire study of 454 women, three to seven months postpartum, reported an 11.5% prevalence of some type of eating disorder, with a predominance of younger women affected.2

Pregnancy can complicate an eating disorder as changes in body shape may increase anxiety about weight gain. Women with . . . [Full text of this article]


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Response to article in 12th Jan 2008 BMJ issue ‘Eating Disorders in Pregnancy’ by Veronica Bridget Ward BMJ 2008; 336:93-6
Pratima Singh, et al.
bmj.com, 25 Jan 2008 [Full text]
Eating disorders and pregnancy: further highlights
Emanuele Cereda, et al.
bmj.com, 2 Feb 2008 [Full text]
With Thiamine & Niacin deficiencies, fatigue:depression::dementia:psychosis, which possibly is represented by postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.
Joseph W Arabasz MD
bmj.com, 26 Feb 2008 [Full text]
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