Survey study, 1997
Does pregnancy or the menstrual cycle affect OCD symptoms?
Some women's OCD worsened before their period (42 percent) and after childbirth (29 percent), suggesting hormones may play a role. However, most women's OCD did not change during pregnancy itself (69 percent had no change).
What they did
57 women with OCD were interviewed by telephone about how their OCD symptoms changed during the premenstrual phase, during pregnancy, and after childbirth.
What they found
24 women (42 percent) reported their OCD worsened before their period, and 12 (21 percent) described premenstrual dysphoria. Of 38 women who had been pregnant, only 5 (13 percent) had OCD start during pregnancy. Of 29 women with OCD before pregnancy, 20 (69 percent) had no change in symptoms during pregnancy, 5 (17 percent) worsened, and 4 (14 percent) improved. Of 24 women with preexisting OCD who delivered a baby, 7 (29 percent) had worsening after birth. Nine (37 percent) of these 24 also reported postpartum depression.
What it means for you
Some women with OCD experience worsening before their period and after delivery, which suggests hormones may influence the condition. Women with OCD may be at higher risk for postpartum depression. The study was limited because women were asked to recall their symptoms rather than report them at the time they occurred.
57
women with OCD
24 (42%)
premenstrual worsening
7 (29%)
postpartum exacerbation
About the study
- Original title
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder in pregnancy, the puerperium, and the premenstruum
- Authors
- Williams KE, Koran LM
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry
- Year
- 1997
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 57
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v58n0709
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