Onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder in pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Although the role of pregnancy and childbirth in postpartum psychosis and depression has been studied, the association between pregnancy and obsessive-compulsive disorder has not been specifically addressed. The authors evaluated the role of pregnancy in the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder.


METHODS
Female patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (N = 106) completed a questionnaire assessing age at onset of symptoms, marital status, number of children, age at each pregnancy, and life events associated with the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder.


RESULTS
Of the 106 women, 42 were childless and 59 had at least one child each; five others were also childless but had had abortions (N = 4) or a miscarriage (N = 1). Of the 42 women without children, 12 (28.6%) had first experienced obsessive-compulsive symptoms between the ages of 13 and 15 years, but there were two peaks of onset for the women with children: ages 22-24 and 29-32 years. Of the 59 patients with children, 23 (39.0%) had experienced symptom onset during pregnancy; this was the first pregnancy for 12, the second pregnancy for eight, and the third pregnancy for three. Four of the five women who had had abortions or a miscarriage had experienced the onset or an exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
The association between pregnancy and the onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in these female patients highlights the need for further research on psychological and biological factors associated with pregnancy and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Neziroglu
F
F
Bio-Behavioral Psychiatry, Great Neck, NY 11021.
Anemone
R
R
Yaryura-Tobias
J A
JA
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology