Denial of Pregnancy: Psychopathology and Clinical Management

Madhuri H Nanjundaswamy1, Sravani Gaddapati1, Harish Thippeswamy2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India.

Psychopathology
|October 9, 2019
PubMed

Denial of pregnancy (DOP) is a challenging condition with poorly understood psychopathology. DOP is reported to be associated with problems such as severe psychological conflicts, obstetric complications, risks to the newborn, and difficulties in bonding with the infant. In this paper, we present and discuss the clinical manifestations of a severe form of DOP that lasted until the time of delivery with resultant multifaceted complications. Our paper highlights the severity of psychopathology and the need for coordinated management. Descriptions from different cultural backgrounds would improve the conceptual understanding of DOP.

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