What is perinatal OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a form of anxiety disorder. Perinatal OCD occurs when you have OCD during pregnancy or within the first year after childbirth.
What is perinatal OCD?
If it occurs during pregnancy, it is known as antenatal or prenatal anxiety. If it happens in the year following childbirth, it is called postnatal or postpartum anxiety. Some individuals may experience both forms.
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Signs and symptoms of perinatal OCD
You might be concerned about how you’ll manage as a new parent, or you may have anxieties about your baby’s health and whether you’re doing the right things. However, if these worries begin to impact your daily life, it’s important to seek help.
Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, feelings, images, urges, worries, or doubts that repeatedly enter your mind. They may seem to stick in your mind, regardless of your efforts to dismiss them. You might be concerned about their meaning or why they won’t go away. These obsessions can be very upsetting.
Compulsions are repetitive actions that you perform to ease the distress or uncertainty brought on by these obsessions. They can be physical actions, such as constantly checking that a door is locked. Alternatively, they can be mental tasks, like repeating a particular word to yourself. Sometimes, they may also involve seeking reassurance from others.
It’s natural to be concerned about your baby’s health and to want to protect your baby during pregnancy and after childbirth.
However, if you begin to have obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions that disrupt your daily life and wellbeing, you might be dealing with perinatal OCD. These obsessions and compulsions are often connected to feelings about parenthood and your baby.
Perinatal Compulsions & Obsessions
Examples of perinatal obsessions include:
- Unwanted thoughts about harming your baby, either during pregnancy or after birth.
- Upsetting thoughts of sexually abusing your child.
- Anxiety about being responsible for transmitting a serious illness to your baby.
- Worry over making incorrect decisions, such as those concerning vaccinations or medical treatments.
These thoughts can be deeply distressing and scary. However, it’s important to remember they are not your fault. Experiencing an intrusive thought does not mean you desire to act on it, nor does it mean that you will.
Examples of perinatal compulsions include:
- Excessive, frequent washing of clothes, toys, or bottles.
- Avoiding changing dirty nappies due to fears of inappropriately touching your baby.
- Keeping your baby isolated from others to prevent harm or contamination.
- Constantly checking on your baby, such as waking them up to ensure they are okay.
- Regularly seeking reassurance from others that your baby has not been harmed or mistreated.
- Reviewing daily events to confirm that you have not hurt your baby.
Discussing your obsessions or compulsions can be challenging. However, there are treatments and support available that may help.
Treatments for perinatal OCD
If you’re concerned that you might be experiencing perinatal OCD, speak to your GP or health visitor. Your doctor will discuss treatment options with you, allowing you to jointly decide on the best treatment for your needs.
Talking therapy
CBT with ERP is the most recommended form of counselling for OCD. It combines two therapeutic approaches:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is a specialised form of CBT designed to treat OCD.
ERP is a type of counselling that assists you in understanding the mechanics of your OCD and what actions are needed to overcome it. Your therapist will guide you through facing your obsessions and teach you how to refrain from performing compulsive behaviours.
If there are lengthy waiting times for counselling services in your area, your doctor might suggest exploring alternatives. These can help you manage your mental health while you await your appointment.
Medication
Your doctor may also prescribe medication to treat anxiety, which is a common symptom of OCD. If you have any worries about taking medication, you can discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist. Additionally, we provide information about using antidepressants during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
A mix of counselling and medication
Some individuals discover that using medication alongside counselling enhances their therapy results. However, others find either medication or counselling alone more effective.
If you were already on medication for an anxiety disorder before becoming pregnant, your doctor might recommend combining it with a talking therapy like CBT. This approach might also be suggested if your symptoms haven’t improved with either counselling or medication alone.
Get support
Talk with a trained professional about your thoughts and feelings with out free counselling and private counselling service for people over the age of 18.