Pregnancy: Outcome and impact on symptomatology in a cohort of eating-disordered women

Objective: This study investigates both the impact of eating disorders (ED) on pregnancy outcome and the impact of pregnancy on cognitive and behavior al symptoms of EDs. Method: Data on pregnancy outcome (live birth [LB], the rapeutic abortion [TAB], and spontaneous abortion [SAB]) and ED symptomatol ogy were collected as part of a large, prospective longitudinal study of an orexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Data were gathered using a se mistructured interview administered every 6 months to 246 subjects. Results : We identified 54 women who reported 82 pregnancies (46 LB, 25 TAB, and 11 SAB). Pregnancy outcome was not significantly related to any of the clinic al variables studied. Women with BN showed a significant decrease in the se verity of their ED symptoms during pregnancy, and this decrease was sustain ed through 9 months postpartum. women with AN also demonstrated a significa nt reduction in ED symptoms, however, these symptoms returned to prepregnan cy levels by 6 months postpartum. Conclusions: Our prospective findings rev eal an elevated TAB rate for ED women along with a general reduction in the severity of ED symptoms during pregnancy. (C) 2000 by John Wiley 6; Sons, Inc.