Pregnancy in women with physical and intellectual disability: psychiatric implications.

Pregnancy in women with physical and intellectual disability: psychiatric implications. Riv Psichiatr. 2020 Nov-Dec;55(6):331-336 Authors: D'Angelo A, Ceccanti M, Fiore M, Petrella C, Greco A, Porrari R, Gencarelli S, Ralli M, Vitali M, Ferraguti G, Galeoto G, Valente D, Framarino Dei Malatesta M, Messina MP Abstract Women with disabilities feel the desire for motherhood as much as women without special clinical needs. Their fertility is often not impacted by disability and they can have children. However, several issues must be considered, depending on the physical, mental or developmental disability. Women with a physical disability often experience higher risks of caesarean section, preterm birth, growth restriction and low birth weight when compared to controls. Women with intellectual or developmental disabilities are often young, unmarried, unemployed and have limited access to care. They often struggle following instructions or recognizing the conditions that require medical help. They are more likely to experience preeclampsia, diabetes, venous thromboembolism, cesarean delivery, infant low birth weight, preterm birth, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and perinatal death. Moreover, an association between psychiatric morbidity and alcohol abuse was proved by several pieces of evidence and it can cause serious damage to fetus and newborn causing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Fetus and the newborn of disabled mothers ...
Source: Rivista di Psichiatria - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Riv Psichiatr Source Type: research