Denial of pregnancy: a psychodynamic paradigm

Abstract

This article discusses denial of pregnancy. It includes clinical material from 17 women who not only denied pregnancy but committed neonaticide and were evaluated for forensic reasons. The forensic issues have been discussed elsewhere and are not considered here. The literature on denial of pregnancy taken in conjunction with the clinical profiles presented here indicates that women who deny pregnancy tend to experience dissociative psychopathology. Not all pregnant women who dissociate deny pregnancy, however. This article discusses why some women who dissociate but not all develop the dramatic symptom-denial of pregnancy.