Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1489-1491
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Family planning needs of female chronic psychiatric outpatients
JH Coverdale and JA Aruffo
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
The authors investigated the pregnancy outcomes, contraceptive behavior,
and contraceptive needs of 80 female chronic psychiatric outpatients.
Thirty-one percent of the patients reported they had had induced abortions.
Of 75 children born, 60% were being reared by people other than the
mothers. Thirty-three percent of the patients who had had intercourse
during the preceding year and had not wanted to become pregnant reported
not having used contraception at the time of last intercourse. The authors
discuss the special contraceptive needs of chronic psychiatric patients and
encourage psychiatrists to inquire about patients' family planning
practices.
