Wishful thinking is not effective contraception: family planning, contraception, and safe prescribing

Unplanned pregnancies account for approximately 50% of pregnancies in the United States and 40% globally. Therefore, it is good clinical practice to treat women of reproductive potential with the idea in mind that they may become pregnant during the course of treatment, regardless of their stated intentions. In psychiatry, most of the disorders we treat are chronic or recurrent; women are often on psychotropic medications during the reproductive years, and many will require pharmacologic treatment for psychiatric illnesses during pregnancy.