by Amber Hilton

Created on: May 22, 2008

Fortunately, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder no longer equals a life of loneliness and isolation. When treated effectively, people suffering from this often misunderstood mental illness can lead full and normal lives. They can have successful careers, loving relationships and yes, they can even raise normal, healthy children.

The key here is treatment. Bipolar disorder is characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania. Severe mood swings can often affect the bipolar person's ability to function at work and within a family setting. There are several types of bipolar disorder that vary in their severity of symptoms. The problem with bipolar disorder is that symptoms typically appear many years before the illness is actually diagnosed and even then it is not uncommon for this disorder to be misdiagnosed. If a woman with undiagnosed bipolar disorder were to become a mother, I do believe that it could significantly affect her ability to be a good parent. People with untreated bipolar disorder can be impulsive and even suicidal. There is a chance that an untreated bipolar mother could indeed put her children in danger during a manic or depressive episode, whether it be through her unclear thinking or sheer neglect.

All that said, when bipolar women (and men for that matter) learn to effectively manage their illness, I do believe that they can not only make good parents, but in fact they can make great parents. Actually, they can probably make better parents than a lot of non-bipolar mothers and fathers out there.

Proper management typically means learning to track your moods and symptoms, taking the right combination of medicine and seeking a mental health care professional to help you deal with your symptoms and the stigma that is often associated with bipolar disorder.

Even when bipolar disorder is effectively managed, there are a few other issues that bipolar patients should think about before deciding to have children. For one, most (if not all) of the medications that are prescribed to help treat the disorder can lead to birth defects if the patient becomes pregnant. This is a difficult situation, especially in cases of very severe bipolar disorder because discontinuing the medication can put the wellbeing of the mother at risk and possibly affect her ability to effectively care for the child after its born. However, the risks of birth defects are too great for her to continue to take her medications during the whole of her pregnancy. There is no real solution to this problem. Obviously, if a bipolar woman decides to stop taking her medications in order to carry a child, it is very important that her family and her health care team help her to closely monitor her moods and support her in any way they can throughout the pregnancy.

Another thing to consider is the possibility that bipolar disorder is (at least in part) thought to be a genetic disorder. There is the possibility that you might pass this mental illness on to your children. Does this mean that women with bipolar disorder should not have children? Absolutely not. It is simply a matter of personal choice. A women who has her disorder under control and is functioning well within society may not hesitate to bring a child into this world. It is not a certainty that her child will be bipolar and if they are, she will be able to notice early warning signs and will already have the knowledge and experience required to help her child learn to manage their own illness.

As you can see, such decisions can be difficult. But every parent has obstacles that they should think about before they decide to bring a child into this world. Someone with bipolar disorder may just have a few more things to consider than most.

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