Anorexia nervosa: issues for the obstetrician and gynecologist

Anorexia nervosa, primarily a disorder in adolescent and young women, is not only a psychiatric illness; the disorder can have serious gynecologic and medical ramifications. As obstetricians and gynecologists assume a broader role in preventative medicine and health maintenance, an awareness is needed in the latest issues regarding this relatively common disorder. These issues include the newly recognized effects on the neuroendocrine system and the possible implications for treatment, the relationship of anorexia nervosa with a history of childhood sexual abuse and the possible implications of maternal anorexia nervosa on infant development.