Efforts to save the fetus while the mother is suffering from the psychosis: A case report study

Abstract

Background & Aim: The unsafe abortion complications may lead to mother mortality or morbidity, secondary infertility and other unwanted side effects. In some countries like ours, in many cases this kind of pregnancy termination is performed because in most cases the abortion is considered illegal by the government due to religious issues, while in some cases it may seem overly opposing the pregnancy termination. In this case report the mother was suffering from the severe psychosis symptoms, however she was not allowed to perform an abortion, and finally she decided to go to an illegal institute for abortion which results into secondary infertility. This case and similar cases bring up this question that to what extent the survival of the fetus is important in psychotic conditions of the mother.
Case Report: This study is a case report of a 32-year-old female at week 16 of pregnancy presented to the clinic with nausea and vomiting. Following to routine workup in a gynecology department she was referred to a neurologist. Therefore, after performing various imaging studies it was revealed that she had a mass in her brain and surgical resection of the mass was performed without any complication. After few days, she showed bizarre behavior and hallucination. Due to her pregnancy, the neurologists could not prescribe some medications like carbamazepine. Neurologists took the abortion into consideration, however it is illegal in our country to terminate the pregnancy after 4months.Finally, despite her doctor’s recommendation she performed abortion in an unapproved institute and returned to our clinic to follow up and continue the treatment. She is still on drugs and in the usual state.
Conclusion: Abortion within specific sort of diseases which might threaten the psychological condition of the mother and fetus should be legally permitted by the government. Therefore, by the availability of this opportunity for people who are suffering from psychological diseases like psychosis, they could easily approach to the well-known centers in order to terminate their pregnancy legally under appropriate observation. Useful studies must be done in this area to resolve the existing problem. This question should be answered by the government, health politicians, religious missionaries, clinical and social psychologists