Antenatal and Postnatal Psychopathology Among Women with Current and Past Eating Disorders: Longitudinal Patterns

Abstract

This study aims to investigate longitudinal patterns of psychopathology during the antenatal and postnatal periods among women with current (C-ED) and past (P-ED) eating disorders. Women were recruited to a prospective longitudinal study: C-ED (n = 31), P-ED (n = 29) and healthy control (HC; n = 57). Anxiety, depression and ED symptoms were measured at four time points: first/second trimester, third trimester, 8 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Linear mixed effects models were used to test for group differences. Women with C-ED and P-ED, in all diagnostic categories, had significantly higher levels of psychopathology at all time points. ED symptoms decreased in the C-ED group, compared with an overall increase in the other two groups but subsequently increased after pregnancy. Overall, depression and state and trait anxiety scores decreased in the C-ED group compared with the HC group throughout the antenatal and postnatal periods. High levels of psychopathology are common throughout the antenatal and postnatal periods among women with current and past ED, and despite some overall reductions, symptoms remain clinically significant. © 2014 The Authors. European Eating Disorders Review published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Perinatal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation among women with eating disorders and their infants

“…During early pregnancy, 7.5% of women have been reported to have an eating disorder (ED) (Easter et al, 2013), and, despite some reductions women with ED continue to experience high levels of psychopathology throughout the perinatal period (Easter et al, 2014). Maternal ED have been associated with an increased risk of pregnancy and obstetric complications, in particular increased risk of miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight (Micali et al, 2007;Solmi et al, 2013).…”

Transition to motherhood in women with eating disorders: A qualitative study

“…Although ED symptoms are known to decrease during pregnancy (Blais et al ., ; Bulik et al ., ; Crow et al ., ; Lacey, ; Micali, Simonoff, & Treasure, ), recent studies have highlighted how ED cognitions and behaviours persist throughout the course of pregnancy (Micali, Simonoff, et al ., ) and are associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression (Easter et al ., ; Mazzeo, Zucker, Gerke, Mitchell, & Bulik, ; Micali, Treasure, & Simonoff, ).…”

Obstetric and gynecologic problems associated with eating disorders

“…Studies combining eating disorders (AN, BN, and BED) into one group have found between 29 and 78% of women with eating disorders report remission of symptoms during pregnancy with decreased weight and shape concern, restrictive eating, binging, and purging …”