Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Pregnant Mothers Who Choose Cesarean Section

Background & Objective: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by perceived defects in physical appearance leading to distress and significant impairment in daily functioning. This study was conducted with aim of investigating the prevalence and severity of BDD in pregnant mothers who choose C-section due to concerns about their body image.Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 149 pregnant mothers who were candidates for cesarean section. Demographic information, surgical history, and previous deliveries were comprehensively collected, and participants were asked to complete the BDD-YBOCS questionnaire to examine their BDD status. Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS software (version 23). P<0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.Results: Among the participants, 55% had a history of surgery, 24.8% had plastic surgery, and 45.6% had given birth once. About 16.8% of the total patients obtained the maximum score for diagnosis of BDD. The history of plastic surgery was significantly higher in BDD patients. BDD scores, including obsessive thoughts, compulsion, avoidance, and insight, were higher in those who had undergone plastic surgery. Obsession scores and BMI were significantly different between patients with and without a history of childbirth. Only the avoidance dimension of the BDD questionnaire had a positive and significant correlation with age and the scores of different dimensions of BDD questionnaire were notably higher in individuals with a history of plastic surgery.Conclusion: The findings underscore the significant impact of plastic surgery history on BDD. The correlation results further highlight the influence of age on the dimension of avoidance.