Family planning for psychiatric patients
Puente, F.G.
Ippf Medical Bulletin 11(5): 2-4
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-0357 PMID: 12308875 Document Number: 112172
There are 2 important schools of thought on the fertility patterns of psychiatric patients. The U.S. view is that an increased pregnancy rate is expected because of changes in patient management. British workers report marital fertility depressed in both sexes and all diagnostic groups. A possible explanation of this difference is in the use of diagnostic criteria of mental illness; the American diagnosis of schizophrenia includes those diagnosed in England as depressive illness, mania, neurosis, and personality disorders. Possible mechanisms in "the need to be pregnant" syndrome are discussed. The unwanted child has been shown to be at a disadvantage in all psychological, social, and biological areas. Families with marked pathological, social, and personal disorganization can be helped considerably by support and facilities to plan their families. Family planning would be of benefit in the area of childhood-parental separation. Family planning programs in psychiatric hospitals to avoid unwanted pregnancies have proved effective according to early reports. These patients are not able to use the ordinary family planning services available in the community.