title: Reproductive health in women with eating disorders.
abstract: Medical complications are often the precipitants that lead women with eating disorders to seek health care. Complications can be wide ranging but frequently include symptoms associated with reproductive health. Unfortunately, because of the denial, embarrassment, shame, and secrecy associated with these psychiatric illnesses, the underlying cause of these complications can often go unacknowledged, delaying assessment and intervention. This article provides an overview of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, identifies the reproductive health issues that may occur in women with these disorders, and discusses the associated clinical implications for nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-3812, USA. barbara.wolfe@bc.edu
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Wolfe
mesh_terms: D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012098:Reproduction; D016387:Women's Health