Introduction: Eating disorders are a set of psychiatric illnesses the prevalence of which has been rapidly increasing. Risk factors for the development of eating disorders are
numerous, more likely affecting women than men. Unhealthy eating habits, such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa may negatively impact not only female reproductive ability
but also the course of pregnancy, childbirth, and the foetus. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to study in more detail eating disorders, more specifically anorexia and bulimia
nervosa, and to spread awareness of this issue among health professionals. We explored their impact on pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period and the foetus, along with the challenges these conditions pose for the health professionals. The study included the collection and critical analysis of the existing screening and diagnostic questionnaires for eating disorders. The first screening questionnaire for eating disorders in pregnancy and
the postpartum period was developed to reduce the incidence of anorexia and bulimia nervosa in women of childbearing potential and which would be suitable for international use. Methods: For the purposes of the study, a descriptive method with a systematic review of professional and scientific literature was used within the time frame from 1957 to 2020. The literature was searched in Slovene and English databases CINAHL, Cochrane
Library, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, COBISS and Google Scholar. The key words were anorexia, bulimia, screening, pregnancy, and puerperium. A total of 42 sources were analyzed. The selected method of work was supplemented by a semi-structured interview. Results: After reviewing the literature, the scales for screening and diagnosing anorexia and bulimia nervosa were translated from English into Slovenian language and analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of each questionnaire were studied and taken into account when designing our own first screening
questionnaire for screening for the two conditions, intended for pregnant and childbed women. Discussion and conclusion: The translated questionnaires, collected in one place, summarize the advantages and disadvantages of individual questionnaires and allow their appropriate use according to the needs of the user. Their critical analysis helped to design the first questionnaire for the purpose of screening for eating disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period for women in Slovenia. We would recommend that it be included in the maternity booklet. Separately, we also produced a flyer to raise awareness about eating disorders.
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