The Psychological Disturbances Associated with 345 Pregnancies in 137 Women

Abstract

The late Dr. Vera Norris (5), in a study of London mental hospital admissions, found that a London woman, at birth, has 0 · 8 chances in 1,000 of being admitted at some time in her life with a puerperal psychosis. This figure, based upon hospital admissions, must be compared with Kline's (4) estimate that 5 per cent. of pregnant women have an associated emotional disturbance. Clearly, hospital admissions represent a small proportion of all cases occurring and it is likely that socio-economic and cultural as well as medical factors play a part in determining whether admission takes place. Estimates of the incidence of psychiatric disorders associated with childbearing must vary according to the age structure of the population, the facilities for psychiatric care available in the community and the criteria adopted for attributing illness to the effects of childbearing.