Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Postpartum mothers
| Key things to know | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| How common is it? | 11.8% clinically significant BDD symptoms, same cohort — not diagnosis |
| Is it more common among postpartum mothers? | Same; body changes may maintain/exacerbate symptoms |
| Are postpartum mothers at higher risk? | Possible / emerging evidence |
| How much higher is the risk? | 11.8% symptom-positive; no diagnostic RR |
| How often can it be missed? | Very High |
| Does it show up differently among postpartum mothers? | Strong Yes contextually |
| How might it look different? | Weight, abdomen, breasts, skin/hair and post-birth body changes can become targets of preoccupation |
| What commonly occurs alongside it? | Postpartum depression/anxiety; OCD |
| What can it be confused with? | Normal postpartum body dissatisfaction; eating disorders; postpartum depression/OCD |
| Common screening tool | BDDQ — Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire |
| Separate screening tool for postpartum mothers | None |
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