The impact of adverse life events on the evaluation of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the postpartum period

Abstract

Objective: The etiology of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is unknown but differenttheories have been proposed to explain the disorder. The present study seeks to explore the possible impact of certain environmental factors on the evaluation of OCD in the postpartum period. The study also investigates the clinical features of women with OCD, compared to women without the disorder, as well as comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. Method: This study is a secondary analysis of data from an Icelandic study on the mental health of women in perinatal period. The subjects of this current study were 467 women who attended a diagnostic interviewed in the postpartum period. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus (MINI Plus) was used for diagnosis of OCD. Symptomatology of depression, anxiety and stress as well as perceived social support was assessed using psychological measures. Questions on adverse life events and the course of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum events were also asked. Women who met the diagnostic criteria for OCD were compared to women without the disorder.Results: Seventy-six women met diagnostic criteria for OCD. No association was found between OCD and obstetric complications or birth order. Women with OCD had higher prevalence rate of adverse life events. They scored significantly higher on scales assessing symptomology of depression, anxiety and stress and 47.5% of them also had depression and/or anxiety at postpartum.Conclusion: Women are at greater risk for developing OCD in the postpartum period if they have experience maltreatment in childhood and violence in adulthood.