More Evidence of Eating Disorders Endangering Childbirth

Researchers keep studying the issue of eating disorders and pregnancy, and red flags seem to keep coming up. A study published in the March 2007 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry used survey data from 1992, checking the self-reported histories of over 12,000 women who were on schedule to give birth between April and December of that year. At 12 weeks into their pregnancies, they were asked about their past histories of psychiatric problems.

Those who reported a history of bulimia nervosa also reported a higher rate of previous miscarriages. Those who said they had struggled with anorexia nervosa generally had babies with lower birth weight, though this did not occur more often than it did for mothers who had other psychiatric disorders.

• Report: Eating Disorders and Birth Complications
• Other Problems with Eating Disorders and Pregnancy
• More on Eating Disorders and Pregnancy Compiled by Pregnancy Guide Robin Elise Weiss