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Can someone help me find some stats on PND?

5 replies

MoreSpamThanGlam · 17/01/2010 21:13

In college last week we were discussing mental health and PND when a young girl (who wants to be a lawyer) said that all women need help with PND because they "kill their babies dont they". I was absolutely outraged as the case we were looking at reflected my own situation when I had PND and became agoraphobic.

I have been on Google desperate to find some stats that show her that not all women kill their kids when they have PND (obviously) and that it is fairly common, and are highly unlikely to harm their children.

Thanks

OP posts:
BeckyBendyLegs · 18/01/2010 09:17

I don't know where you can find stats but 'PND' is just a label for depression after pregnancy rather than a specific illness and comes in a variety of forms and symptoms. I have it and I love my baby to bits and wouldn't dream of harming him. In fact I am, if anything, over protective of him. I think there is a severe form of PND with a name I can't remember that covers tendancies to harm the baby but as far as I am aware it is quite rare.

gingernutlover · 18/01/2010 09:19

pupleural psychosis (not sure on spelling) is the very severe form I think

gingernutlover · 18/01/2010 09:20

oh and tell her I had PND and never considered harming my baby, just cried a lot anf felt extremely lonely and desperate.

fairycake123 · 18/01/2010 11:38

The Royal College of Psychiatrists estimates that about 1 in 10 women experience PND. The incidence of puerperal psychosis is about 1 in 1000.
Not all women with puerperal psychosis harm their babies. I did a very quick search and the only figure I could find relating to infanticide in women with untreated PP was 4%.

So you can tell the girl in your class that, er, no, women with PND don't all kill their babies. The figure is extremely small. It will be interesting to see if she brings the same level of academic rigour to her coursework as she does to her publically-made comments

tiredemma · 18/01/2010 11:44

I work in mental health. Your friend is way off the mark.

I work with women in a forensic setting, none of my patients have 'killed their babies' through PND - which says to me that its not a regular, common phenomenon. If it was- we would have patients to care for who have commited such acts.

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