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Use of contraceptive methods among women treated for bipolar disorder

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Abstract

Contraception has been little investigated in bipolar disorder, an illness associated with impulsive sexual behavior and use of medications that are unsafe during pregnancy. In this cross-sectional survey of 136 women with bipolar disorder, prevalence of contraception use was 58.8%. Use of any method was associated in the multivariable analysis with being married, younger than 40 and having had previous pregnancies. Women diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated in a tertiary facility use contraceptive methods suboptimally.

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Acknowledgement

Dr. Magalhães is supported by a doctoral scholarship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil. Dr. Kauer-Sant’Anna is supported by a CNPq post-doctoral scholarship and is a NARSAD Young Investigator; she has been an investigator in clinical trials sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Stanley Foundation and has received salary support from an APA/AstraZeneca unrestricted educational grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bipolar Disorders Program & Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Pedro Vieira da Silva Magalhães, Flávio Kapczinski & Marcia Kauer-Sant’Anna

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  1. Pedro Vieira da Silva Magalhães
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  2. Flávio Kapczinski
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  3. Marcia Kauer-Sant’Anna
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Flávio Kapczinski.

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Funding sources: this study was supported by FIPE-HCPA.

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Vieira da Silva Magalhães, P., Kapczinski, F. & Kauer-Sant’Anna, M. Use of contraceptive methods among women treated for bipolar disorder. Arch Womens Ment Health 12, 183–185 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0060-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0060-y

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