Background:
The National Register of Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy (NRAMP) has been established in Australia. The use of antipsychotic medications in pregnancy remains a dilemma for clinicians who must weigh up the risk of harm to the developing baby against the risk of relapse for the mother if medications are altered or ceased. The literature continues to present the difficulty experienced in maintaining the well-being of women with a history of serious mental illness during the perinatal period. The establishment of the NRAMP has required the collaboration of a variety of health care professional around the country both to attain the multicentered ethical approval and to recruit participants.
Methods:
A case study approach will present a description of the first 13 women on the NRAMP.
Results:
Using the case study method, the information presented will include pregnancy pathways, birth outcomes, postnatal outcomes and episodes of separation of mother and baby. An outline of medication use in pregnancy along with the pregnancy outcomes, to date, will be presented.
Conclusions:
This presentation introduces the first outcomes from the NRAMP, using a case study methodology. It clearly identifies the complexity of the issues surrounding the management of women who have a history of psychosis during the perinatal period.
