title: Prescribing of psychiatric medication to bereaved parents following perinatal/neonatal death: an observational study.
abstract: To examine psychiatric prescribing in response to perinatal/neonatal death, we analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of 235 bereaved parents participating in an online support community. Of the 88 respondents prescribed medication, antidepressants were most common (n = 70, 79.5%) followed by benzodiazepines/sleep aids (n = 18, 20.5%). Many prescriptions were written shortly after the death (32.2% within 48 hr, 43.7% within a week, and 74.7% within a month). Obstetrician/gynecologists wrote most prescriptions given shortly after loss. Most respondents prescribed antidepressants took them long-term. This sample is select, but these data raise disturbing questions about prescribing practices for grieving parents.
authors.affiliation: a College of Social Work , Florida State University , Tallahassee , Florida , USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lacasse
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cacciatore
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001601:Bereavement; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D001569:Benzodiazepines