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The Psychological Disturbances Associated with 345 Pregnancies in 137 Women

The Caversham Centre, London, N.W.5

ABSTRACT

A general practice study of psychological disorders associated with childbearing is reported.

Thirty-three of 137 women who had been delivered at term at least once since 1955 had a record of psychological disturbance on at least one occasion in pregnancy or the post-partum year. The rate for reactive disorders in the year after delivery was 19 per 1,000, about one-fifth the one-year prevalence rate for women of similar age in the practice population as a whole. The rate for depression with endogenous features during this year was 26 per 1,000, about five times the equivalent annual prevalence rate and nearly all the attacks occurred within three months of delivery. There is some evidence that delivery precipitates endogenous depression.