The following is a statement by Bipolar UK:
Bipolar UK response to media reporting on forced caesarean and continued separation of mother and child
The forced caesarean and continued separation of mother and
child is, we believe, unprecedented.
It is
sometimes the case that if someone is very ill they are unable to consent to a
medical procedure which those caring for them consider is urgently needed. But officials should make every effort to
consult with the family before decisions are taken, a procedure made more
difficult in this case because the woman was only on a short stay from
Italy. Moreover, if there were
continuing concerns about the care of the child, one would have thought Italian
social services would have been involved in determining what was best for the
child.
Women with bipolar
may become unwell during pregnancy and are at high risk of becoming ill
following childbirth. The majority of
women recover fully, they manage the impact of the illness through strategies
involving medication, health care, therapy and self management and they are
good mothers.
Notes for Editors
Bipolar – The Facts
Bipolar UK has a dedicated leaflet “Bipolar, pregnancy and childbirth”
available to download at http://www.bipolaruk.org.uk/assets/uploads/documents/information_leaflets/bipolar_uk_bipolar_disorder_pregnancy_childbirth.pdf
Between 600,000 and 1.2 million individuals in the UK (1% to 2% of the population)
have bipolar. The impact and devastation
of bipolar are not about the sufferer alone.
Including parents and partners for example, bipolar affects over three
million people in the UK today.
Compared with other mental health illnesses that have a similar or lower
impact, treatment of bipolar is still hampered by misunderstanding and severe
stigma.
It takes an average of 10.5 years to receive a correct
diagnosis for bipolar in the UK. The
2012 survey by Royal College of Psychiatrists, Bipolar UK and Bipolar Scotland
for the first Bipolar Awareness Day in 2012 suggested this could be as long as
13 years.
Please refer your readers to www.bipolaruk.org.uk or they can contact
us on info@bipolaruk.org.uk and 020
7931 6483.
Bipolar UK can provide case studies, interviews and comments from the
charity and individuals affected by bipolar.
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