Impact of community-orientated psychiatry on marriage and fertility of psychotic women.

Abstract

A large representative sample of psychotic women of reproductive age was selected from patients admitted to a London mental hospital during 1955-63 and followed up during the years of developing community care. Before first admission the probability of marriage of schizophrenics was three-quarters of that of corresponding normal women, and after admission it was just over one-third of normal. Fertility of schizophrenics was slightly reduced both before and after illness, and much of this reduction remains due to their being in hospital. The probability of marriage and fertility of women suffering from severe affective disorders was very similar to that found in the corresponding general population. Despite a lessening of differentials between patients and normal women since the impact of community care the probability of marriage of schizophrenics with abnormal personalities is still significantly reduced.