The Experience of Pregnancy for Women with Bipolar Disorder: An Exploratory Study

Objective: Bipolar disorder often emerges in an individual’s late teens and early twenties. As a result, women with the disorder are impacted for the majority of their childbearing years. Pregnancy brings a unique set of challenges to this population, including risk of relapse, teratogenicity of medications, and increased risk of postpartum psychosis. This study utilized semi-structured telephone interviews to gather qualitative data on the experience of pregnancy for women with bipolar disorder with the long-term goal of developing patient education materials and improving nursing interventions to help manage illness during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Method: A sample of three English-speaking women, aged 29-39, with a confirmed diagnosis of bipolar I or II and who have given birth within the last eighteen months, were recruited. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded using a grounded theory approach, in consultation with the Thesis Advisor. Results: Women with bipolar disorder described a unique pregnancy experience, influenced by the intersection of mental illness, pregnancy and pharmacotherapy. Recurrent themes included hopefulness, patient and provider as advocates, education, community support and the mixed impact of medication. Conclusion: This research will contribute to initiatives designed to improve healthcare for pregnant women with bipolar disorder and augment patient education materials. Existing empirical research findings become even more valuable tools for improving patient care when paired with the voices of patients themselves. As pregnant women are a historically under-studied population, this study also contributes to the larger body of scientific research on this population.