Citation
Bulik, Cynthia M.; Von Holle, Ann F.; Hamer, Robert M.; Knoph Berg, Cecilie; Torgersen, Leila; Magnus, Per M.; Stoltenberg, Camilla; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Sullivan, Patrick F.; & Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted (2007). Patterns of Remission, Continuation and Incidence of Broadly Defined Eating Disorders during Early Pregnancy in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Psychological Medicine, 37(8), 1109-1118. PMCID: PMC2657803Abstract
BACKGROUND: We explored the course of broadly defined eating disorders during pregnancy in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.METHOD: A total of 41,157 pregnant women, enrolled at approximately 18 weeks' gestation, had valid data from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry. We collected questionnaire-based diagnostic information on broadly defined anorexia nervosa (AN), and bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). EDNOS subtypes included binge eating disorder (BED) and recurrent self-induced purging in the absence of binge eating (EDNOS-P). We explored rates of remission, continuation and incidence of BN, BED and EDNOS-P during pregnancy.
RESULTS: Prepregnancy prevalence estimates were 0.1% for AN, 0.7% for BN, 3.5% for BED and 0.1% for EDNOS-P. During early pregnancy, estimates were 0.2% (BN), 4.8% (BED) and 0.1% (EDNOS-P). Proportions of individuals remitting during pregnancy were 78% (EDNOS-P), 40% (BN purging), 39% (BED), 34% (BN any type) and 29% (BN non-purging type). Additional individuals with BN achieved partial remission. Incident BN and EDNOS-P during pregnancy were rare. For BED, the incidence rate was 1.1 per 1000 person-weeks, equating to 711 new cases of BED during pregnancy. Incident BED was associated with indices of lower socio-economic status.
CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy appears to be a catalyst for remission of some eating disorders but also a vulnerability window for the new onset of broadly defined BED, especially in economically disadvantaged individuals. Vigilance by health-care professionals for continuation and emergence of eating disorders in pregnancy is warranted.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291707000724Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2007Journal Title
Psychological MedicineAuthor(s)
Bulik, Cynthia M.Von Holle, Ann F.
Hamer, Robert M.
Knoph Berg, Cecilie
Torgersen, Leila
Magnus, Per M.
Stoltenberg, Camilla
Siega-Riz, Anna Maria
Sullivan, Patrick F.
Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted