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Can A Schizophrenic Women Get Pregnant?

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Posted on Thu, 16 Apr 2015
Question: I would like to know about schizophrenia.Can a schizophrenia women become pregnant.If the delivered baby can have schizophrenia.Also when does schizophrenia starts.what are the chances of women getting schizophrenia after delivery
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
yes schizophrenia woman can be pregnant

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

Yes woman having schizophrenia can become pregnant. Fertility rate in general population and in women with schizophrenia are almost same according to some studies.

Yes baby who is born to mother with schizophrenia may have chances of having schizophrenia in future. The risk is ten times more than the general population when one of the parents has history of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is equally prevalent in men and women. The two genders differ, however, in the onset and course of illness. Onset is earlier in men than in women. More than half of all male schizophrenia patients, but only one-third of all female schizophrenia patients, are first admitted to a psychiatric hospital before age 25. The peak ages of onset are 10 to 25 years for men and 25 to 35 years for women. Unlike men, women display a bimodal age distribution, with a second peak occurring in middle age. Approximately 3 to 10 percent of women with schizophrenia present with disease onset after age 40. About 90 percent of patients in treatment for schizophrenia are between 15 and 55 years old. Onset of schizophrenia before age 10 or after age 60 is extremely rare.

In normal mother chances of having onset of schizophrenia after delivery is 1%. It is called postpartum psychosis and symptoms appear within 2-3 week of delivery to maximum within 8 weeks.Incidence rate of postpartum psychosis 1-2 per 1000 live child birth.

Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.

Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (57 minutes later)
Thank You ,

After my brother got married ,his wife behaved abnormally like given below:

1)Keeping leftovers of food in fridge
2)sleeping near gas stove
3)catching my brothers neck for no reason
4)Taking knife in hand over small differences
5)careless in dressing matters
After delivery,6 months later she was diogonised with schizophrenia.What are the chances of mental illness in her before marriage.
Also would like to know whether schizophrenia mothers breastfeed recommended.Whats the probability of suicide in these patients
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
suicide rate ranges from 5 to 10% in patients with schizophrenia

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for follow up.

Symptoms you have narrated suggest possibility of schizophrenia and diagnosis is mostly right.

There are no tests which can prove exact onset of schizophrenia. But proper history from relatives and friends can give idea about exact age of onset. We can not deny that she may have symptoms before marriage.Some prodromal symptoms and change in behavior from normal routine can suggest onset.But for that detail reliable history from informant is necessary.

What is her age and Duration of marriage life?And did any of the above symptoms have been notice where engagement of your brother and his wife was fixed?

Yes breastfeed is of course recommended and necessary for baby though mother has schizophrenia. Only concern is which medicines are going on and of them which are secreted in breast milk and used with caution.

Among patients with schizophrenia suicide attempt ranges form 20 to 50% according to different reports and 5 to 10% are actually able to do suicide.

Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.



Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Chintan Solanki (23 minutes later)
Dear Doctor,

her age is 27 years.He got engaged on 28 may 2011 and married on 08 septmeber2011.she was diogonised on 15 dec 2012. Baby girl was born on 28 May 2012.He came to know about the symptoms only after marriage.But before marriage ,as per knowledge from friends now,she used to get angry and beat students in class when studying.Also baby was delivered by C-section as her mother told she was not able to bear pain whereas her normal delivery was possible after 3 days(may be her mother knew that this illness will worsen if she had normal delivery pain). Thank You
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chintan Solanki (13 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
likely she has XXXXXXX suffering from illness before marriage

Detailed Answer:
hello,

Thanks for information.

Your brother has passed only 4 months before marriage with her.During that period her symptoms might be under control with medicines. After marriage within 8 months she became pregnant and diagnosed schizophrenia after 7 months of delivery. Pregnancy itself is a big stress which can worsen the symptoms of any psychotic illness including schizophrenia.

The true diagnosis only can be done after right information from her parents is provided.

Her personality also should be evaluated by psychologist or psychiatrist for personality disorder also.

You are right that for patient with schizophrenia it is difficult to tolerate labor pain.

Another differential diagnosis is Bipolar Mood disorder according to me.

For specific diagnosis detail history and mental status examination is needed by psychiatrist.

She was beating students in class. Her symptoms also suggest she may have low IQ. For that detail IQ assessment should be done.

Hope I have answered your query.
If still any query there, I will be happy to answer.
If not, you can close the discussion and give your feedback which can help me to improve service.

In future you can contact me directly on this site if you wish with this link:
http://bit.ly/drchintansolanki
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Chintan Solanki

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2406 Questions

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Can A Schizophrenic Women Get Pregnant?

Brief Answer: yes schizophrenia woman can be pregnant Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for writing to us. Yes woman having schizophrenia can become pregnant. Fertility rate in general population and in women with schizophrenia are almost same according to some studies. Yes baby who is born to mother with schizophrenia may have chances of having schizophrenia in future. The risk is ten times more than the general population when one of the parents has history of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is equally prevalent in men and women. The two genders differ, however, in the onset and course of illness. Onset is earlier in men than in women. More than half of all male schizophrenia patients, but only one-third of all female schizophrenia patients, are first admitted to a psychiatric hospital before age 25. The peak ages of onset are 10 to 25 years for men and 25 to 35 years for women. Unlike men, women display a bimodal age distribution, with a second peak occurring in middle age. Approximately 3 to 10 percent of women with schizophrenia present with disease onset after age 40. About 90 percent of patients in treatment for schizophrenia are between 15 and 55 years old. Onset of schizophrenia before age 10 or after age 60 is extremely rare. In normal mother chances of having onset of schizophrenia after delivery is 1%. It is called postpartum psychosis and symptoms appear within 2-3 week of delivery to maximum within 8 weeks.Incidence rate of postpartum psychosis 1-2 per 1000 live child birth. Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further. Regards, Dr.Chintan Solanki.