title: Munchausen syndrome in obstetrics and gynecology.
abstract: Munchausen syndrome (MS) is a well-defined clinical psychiatric entity. Furthermore, it is a complicated and intriguing problem in medicine in general and in obstetrics and gynecology in particular. The proportion of MS cases in obstetrics and gynecology is rising. This review covers relevant reports from the last four decades. Emphasis is put on the clinical expression of MS cases in obstetrics and gynecology. A discussion about their validity as such is included. Awareness of attending physicians to this type of illness in the era of patient rights, on the one hand, and the existence of defensive medicine on the other, is crucial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Golda Campus, Petah Tiqva 49372, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabinerson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orvieto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dekel
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009110:Munchausen Syndrome / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology