title: Eating disorders and pregnancy: supporting the anorexic or bulimic expectant mother.
abstract: Eating disorders have been on the rise since the 1980s. For a woman previously treated for an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, a pregnancy may exacerbate prior symptoms. Women with an eating disorder may also be embarrassed by or reluctant to reveal prior or current symptoms to healthcare providers. This article presents a case study of an expectant new mother with a history of anorexia. The information will help nurses become more alert to predisposing factors that may indicate a potential problem with an eating disorder, and provide practical ways to help these women cope with their anxiety about their changing bodies. As a result, nurses can help these women maintain a healthy pregnancy with a good neonatal outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY, USA. czaudere@nyit.edu
authors.forename: Cheryl R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Zauderer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*