Clinical Case Rounds in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Compulsive Hoarding Associated With Abortion

J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 16:4 November 2007 177 Introduction Termination of pregnancy is associated with significant psychological distress in women, including depression, substance use and anxiety (Fergusson et al, 2006; Lowenstein et al, 2006). Women suffering miscarriages demonstrate an increased prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to other anxiety disorders, with rates approaching 3.5%, developing within weeks and persisting for up to 6 months after pregnancy loss (Geller et al, 2004; Geller et al, 2001; Neziroglu et al, 1992; Ross & McLean, 2006; Uguz et al, 2007). Despite these studies, there is a dearth of literature on hoarding compulsions and obsessions following abortion. We present a rare adolescent case of compulsive hoarding (CH) following abortion.