| Reproductive NeuroPsychiatry
 Women’s
experience of fertility, infertility, menstruation, pregnancy, delivery,
mothering and menopause includes noticeable transitions in their
lives making their mental health an important priority. These transitions
effects each woman and changes their role in society as it effects
their physical, family, social, and economic status. Some women
endure these transitions without major complications yet others
encounter serious emotional and mental difficulties that may include:
- heightened irritability and sensitivity
- tearfulness and crying spells
- insomnia
- loss of appetite
- lack of motivation
- anxiety attacks
- thought of suicide
- harmful thoughts toward the infant
- misperception, hallucination
- irrational beliefs and obsessive thoughts
- undue suspiciousness and paranoia
These alarming symptoms are at times the result of radical changes
in women’s physical, hormonal, personal, family, and occupational
lives and the related stresses and at times the flare up of pre-existing
psychiatric conditions. It is estimated that 10% to 16% of pregnant
women experience depression and 2% to 4% experience anxiety requiring
medical care. Transitional reproductive stress invariably adds to
aggravation of pre existing psychiatric disorders in women. Inattention
to these concerns does not make them go away and lack of treatment
may pose catastrophic consequences.
Evaluation and management of reproductive psychiatric
disorders requires special education and clinical skills especially
before, during and after pregnancy and breast feeding to assure
prudent selection and treatment of the mother without adverse effects
on the infant.
Reproductive NeuroPsychiatry services intend to
meet the special psychiatric service needs of the women in reproductive
phase.
Clinical Services
Clinical Services for patients in need of our services
begins with a consultation with the neuro psychiatrist. This may
be followed by recommendations for clinical and cognitive test to
conclude the management program. Clinical management may include
medications, individual, family and group therapy and recommendation
for alternative medical care such as relaxation therapy, therapeutic
massages.
|
