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4. - The Costs of Fertility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2024

Linda Gask
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
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Summary

Fertility brings an increased risk of receiving a mental health diagnosis, from pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) to depression following miscarriage, post-natal psychosis and ante- and post-natal depression. Suicide is a leading cause of death in new mothers. Across the world, women’s reproductive systems remain a political battleground and subject to external controls from access to contraception and abortion in the USA to getting better mental health care for perinatal mental illness. Women can feel disempowered and unheard by the professions as recent maternity scandals in the UK have revealed. There is also pressure for women to have ‘natural’ births without intervention. What part do misogyny, patriarchal attitudes and aspects of feminism itself play here? We can all advocate and support fellow women who are struggling with any of the complications of fertility and not getting the care they need. There are ‘red flags’ we can all remember for getting mental health care involved in the perinatal period: Providing pregnant women with the information to make truly informed decisions about their health care is crucial. Perinatal mental illness is real and can kill.

Type
Chapter
Information
Out of Her Mind
How We Are Failing Women's Mental Health and What Must Change
, pp. 70 - 90
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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  • The Costs of Fertility
  • Linda Gask, University of Manchester
  • Book: Out of Her Mind
  • Online publication: 10 October 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009382441.005
Available formats
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  • The Costs of Fertility
  • Linda Gask, University of Manchester
  • Book: Out of Her Mind
  • Online publication: 10 October 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009382441.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Costs of Fertility
  • Linda Gask, University of Manchester
  • Book: Out of Her Mind
  • Online publication: 10 October 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009382441.005
Available formats
×