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Objectives: The desire for children among mentally ill women may be influenced by the perception of reproductive risks for the woman herself as well as for the potential child. Coping with these challenges is not only impacted by individual but also by social factors. Thus, the study aims at subjective views on various social aspects pertaining to the desire for children among this group including: (a) general context (b) partnership (c) family background (d) professionals and (e) genetic aspects in regard to desire for children. Methods: In 2007, n = 15 narrative-biographical interviews with childless women with mental illnesses aged 26-42 years were analysed using a reconstructive approach. Results/Conclusions: Participants focused on the development of stable social conditions and stable partnership as important prerequisites for desire for children. However, a mental illness might easily threaten the development of such stable conditions. It was emphasized that a partnership with a mentally ill partner can be both an important source of support as well as an additional burden due to the "doubled risk". Furthermore, it was reported that during contacts with mental health service providers, the desire for children is mostly restricted to the issue of adequate birth control. Some participants felt overburdened by bringing up this issue vis-à-vis professionals while some were afraid that their desire for children may become medicalised. Most participants were sceptical towards the use of (hypothetical) genetic techniques aiming at the prediction of a mental illness in the planned/unborn child. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)

"Schlechte Stimmung entsteht nicht einfach so" [Interview mit Gerd Gigerenzer]. (2009). Psychologie heute, 36, 26-28.

Publication year	2009
Document type:	Article
Publication status:	Published
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Keywords:	desire for childrenmentally ill womensocial factors