Pregnant women with bulimia more anxious

Pregnant women with bulimia tend to be more anxious and depressed than their counterparts without eating disorders. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder among young women who go on eating binges and then feel guilty about it. The condition, if present during pregnancy, can lead to serious consequences for both the mother and the fetus. To investigate the relationship between Bulimia nervosa nervosa during early pregnancy and psycho-social factors that cause its occurrence, continuation and remission, researchers from America identified 41,157 pregnant women and asked them to complete food questionnaires at 18 weeks gestation, including items on eating disorders and psychosocial characteristics. Bulimia nervosa during the first trimester of pregnancy was found to be significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression and low self-esteem and life satisfaction, whereas remission of the condition was significantly associated with higher self-esteem and life satisfaction. The continuation of the disorder was not appreciably linked to the variables tested. Moreover, women with bulimia reported a higher prevalence of life-long physical abuse, sexual abuse and major depression compared with others. The researchers concluded that the onset of bulimia nervosa during pregnancy is associated with mood and anxiety symptoms and those suffering from the condition are more dissatisfied with life in general and their relationship with their partner. The condition abates with improvement of self-esteem and life satisfaction

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