Clinical and Legal Considerations Regarding Breastfeeding on Psychiatric Units

Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law

article

Marissa P. Caan¹  Nina E. Sreshta³  Jennifer A. Okwerekwu⁴  Jacqueline S. Landess⁵  Susan Hatters Friedman⁶ 

[1] Adult Psychiatry Training Program Cambridge Health Alliance;Harvard Medical School;psychiatric practice;Division of Women’s Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry Brigham and Women’s Hospital;Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin;Case Western Reserve University

关键词: lactation;    breastfeeding;    inpatient;    discrimination;    postpartum;    Affordable Care Act (ACA);   

DOI  :  10.29158/JAAPL.210086-21

学科分类：儿科学

来源: American Academy of Psychiatry The Law

【 摘 要 】

Women in the postpartum period are at especially high risk of developing psychiatric disorders, and in severe cases, they may require inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. Because of the lack of specialized units for peripartum mothers in the United States, this treatment is usually relegated to general inpatient psychiatric units. Despite the clear benefit of breastfeeding for both mother and child, lactation can be a barrier to placement on a general inpatient psychiatric unit and often is not supported during the hospital stay. Limiting access to inpatient psychiatric care for postpartum mothers with mental illness could be considered sex discrimination under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) because of failure to accommodate lactation. With improvements in education and accommodations around breastfeeding, general inpatient psychiatric units could provide appropriate care for this population.

【 授权许可】

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