Staff responses to the pregnancy of a therapist on an inpatient unit.

The author interviewed staff on three psychiatric wards to elicit their response to pregnant colleagues. Staff expressed particular concern about protecting the pregnant women from possible patient assaults. Some staff members were overprotective or unwilling to express anger directly toward the pregnant staff members. Staff also reported increases in jealousy, maternal transference and countertransference, anxiety about the impending separation, flirting with the pregnant women, and joking about sex. The author compares these findings with reports from outpatient settings and discusses potential implications.