A study just published in the March issue of the Archives of Women's Mental Health found that "OCD and OCS [obsessive-compulsive symptoms] may be of greater prevalence during the perinatal period than previously recognized. [I could have told you that.] The high rates provide new information and require replication in larger, more diverse populations. Research in the perinatal period must expand beyond the exploration to include anxiety disorders and specifically OCD."
Indeed. I think we need much more focus on this, but it's probably because I'm biased given that I had postpartum OCD myself. You have to wonder how much our current society and its focus on celebrity motherhoodas well asthe need to offer daily crafts, teach your baby to read by the age of 1 and make your own organic baby food is impacting the prevalence of postpartum OCD, especially for those of us with perfectionist tendencies.
I might point out that the new DSM-V at this point has nothing in it about postpartum anxiety or OCD. Care to influence them? Go here. Look at the top right corner and click "New User? Register Now". Then you can register and comment on any section of the DSM that you like. You could go to this one or this one or …
