Is Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Common after Giving Birth? New Research Says 'Yes'

Women experience unnecessary anxiety after giving birth. Researchers who looked at the concept found a significant number of new mothers suffering from an anxiety disorder known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience unwanted feelings, thoughts and obsessions, and are more tempted to engage in certain obsessive behaviors and actions.

Researchers from Northwestern University found new mothers becoming extremely concerned about the safety of their babies, making them constantly monitor their babies' breathing rates or engage in activities meant to provide a complete germ-free environment, by washing or re-washing their little one's bottles.

According to the background information provided in the study, stressful periods like pregnancy and postpartum period can aggravate OCD. To get a complete idea about the factors that lead to this occurrence, lead author of the study Emily Miller and colleagues studied new moms who gave birth at the Northwestern Memorial hospital. They interviewed a group of women at two weeks (461) and another at six months (329). Participants underwent tests related to anxiety, depression and OCD.

Of the total participants, 11 percent had higher levels of OCD compared to the normal population. Mothers involved in the study reported constantly checking their babies' crib or bottles to ensure safety. Some women in the study reported experiencing some disturbing thoughts of engaging themselves in activities that harm their babies.

"That can be emotionally painful," Miller said in a news release. "You don't intend to harm the baby, but you're fearful that you will."

Hormonal changes or the natural maternal instinct of a mother to take care of her newborn could be leading to this occurrence, researchers say. However, according to them, the obsession should be taken seriously when it starts affecting a woman's duties and responsibilities as a mother.

"It may be that certain kinds of obsessions and compulsions are adaptive and appropriate for a new parent, for example those about cleanliness and hygiene," study senior author Dana Gossett said in a news release. "But when it interferes with normal day-to-day functioning and appropriate care for the baby and parent, it becomes maladaptive and pathologic."

The study will be published in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine.