Phobic reactions of mothers to their own babies.

A systematic review was carried out of all patients admitted to a specialised mother-baby unit who had significant phobic avoidance of their own infants. Demographic and diagnostic information on this group showed phobic avoidance to be common and associated with a range of psychiatric illnesses. There was a trend towards association with relatively prolonged admission. The relationship of such avoidance to attachment behaviour from mother to child is discussed. It is recommended that phobic symptoms warrant early recognition and treatment in their own right, simultaneously with treatment of the major illness.