Pregnancy OCD

rdhdnrs · Jan 24, 2004

Please define the condition.

RNin2005 · Jan 24, 2004

There is not much on this. So here is what I got off of a webpage. 20/20 did a story on this.

Postpartum OCD: Part OCD, Part Postpartum Mood Disorder

Women who suffer from PPOCD experience an onset or worsening of symptoms during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Fluctuating hormones may trigger symptoms during pregnancy, and a sudden drop in hormones can bring on symptoms after delivery.

Parents always experience some degree of stress when a new baby arrives on the scene, and anxiety is not unusual. Postpartum OCD, however, often features disturbing thoughts and excessive behavior regarding the baby's well-being. The following obsessions and compulsions have been commonly reported by women with PPOCD:

Obsessions

- Fear of exposing the baby to germs

- Recurrent thoughts of harming the baby, through violent or sexual acts

- Recurrent fear for the baby's safety

- Recurrent fears of being a "bad" mother

Compulsions

- Repeatedly washing and changing the baby

- Avoiding being alone with the baby

- Never allowing others to hold the baby

- Repeatedly calling the pediatrician

rdhdnrs · Jan 24, 2004

Wow, no, never heard of it. If I can find something out about it, I will post back. We have a psychiatrist who has a double faculty appointment with obstetrics and psych, so maybe I can ask her about it.

Dayray, RN · Jan 24, 2004

Sounds allot like postpartum depression, bordering on post partum psychosis. Maybe they are starting to better define the diagnosis of these things. It would be great if they did there isn't enough known about them.

unikuelady, RN · Feb 4, 2004

I had both pregnancy psychosis and postpartum psychosis with my first child. A nightmare that I'm grateful that my child, husband and myself survived. After 2 more children and 8 years later I was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) Depression and Severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). With individual and group therapy I have resolved the PTSD and Depression. The OCD however necessitates medication (prozac). I am very stable when taking it as ordered. Every time the MD had me go off for a trial---the OCD would come back with a vengance. I have been on prozac for 15 years now. I only have S/S of OCD when under severe stress. Looking back, I realized that the depression and OCD started in childhood. I thought having the thoughts and obsessions were normal. I have since discovered the real definition of INSANITY. It is being off the medication and reverting to the constant rituals, obsessions, thoughts--------and KNOWING that it is possible to have a life free of them-------and NOT being able to do anything about it. I am wondering if the 20/20 segment said anything about the patients having problems before pregnancy-or- if this was a new phenomen? Just wanted to share.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 4, 2004

Originally posted by unikuelady
I had both pregnancy psychosis and postpartum psychosis with my first child. A nightmare that I'm grateful that my child, husband and myself survived. After 2 more children and 8 years later I was diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) Depression and Severe OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). With individual and group therapy I have resolved the PTSD and Depression. The OCD however necessitates medication (prozac). I am very stable when taking it as ordered. Every time the MD had me go off for a trial---the OCD would come back with a vengance. I have been on prozac for 15 years now. I only have S/S of OCD when under severe stress. Looking back, I realized that the depression and OCD started in childhood. I thought having the thoughts and obsessions were normal. I have since discovered the real definition of INSANITY. It is being off the medication and reverting to the constant rituals, obsessions, thoughts--------and KNOWING that it is possible to have a life free of them-------and NOT being able to do anything about it. I am wondering if the 20/20 segment said anything about the patients having problems before pregnancy-or- if this was a new phenomen? Just wanted to share.

This sounds like me to a "T" after my first baby. I was really, really sick. Fortunately, I learned and after my daughter was born, I was already on medication and aware of what to watch for. I still suffered depression, but it much more mild and NO obsessive behaviors occured with that episode. It is truly frightening for the patient and her loved ones. My husband was the one who got me help the first time around. I did not realize how sick I was. Thank goodness for him! And bless anyone who suffers this way. It really robs women of the enjoyment that should be theirs when becoming mothers. I also educate thoroughly about PPD and psychoses. I don't want others to suffer what I did, needlessly.