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Antecedents of Schizophrenia and Affective Illness Obstetric Complications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Amanda Sacker ,
D. John Done ,
Timothy J. Crow  and
Jean Golding
Amanda Sacker
Affiliation:
Psychology Division
D. John Done*
Affiliation:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts
Timothy J. Crow
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Watford Road, Harrow, Middx
Jean Golding
Affiliation:
Institute of Child Health, University of Bristol, Bristol
*
Dr D. J. Done, Psychology Division, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB. Fax: 01707 285073
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Extract

Background

This exploratory study seeks to generate new hypotheses about the relationship between obstetric complications and schizophrenia.

Method

The British Perinatal Mortality Survey represents 98% of all births during one week in March 1958 in Great Britain. Present State Examination (PSE), Catego diagnoses of narrowly defined schizophrenia (n = 49), broadly defined schizophrenia (n = 79), affective psychosis (n = 44) and neurosis (n = 93) were derived from case notes for all cohort members. The remainder of the cohort, surviving the perinatal period, acted as controls (n = 16 812). Variables in the British Perinatal Mortality Survey were grouped into five categories: the physique/lifestyle of the mother (including demographic characteristics), her obstetric history, the current pregnancy, the delivery and the condition of the baby.

Results

There were 7/17 significant differences in maternal physique/lifestyle and obstetric history between the births of schizophrenics and controls, compared to 4/40 comparisons of somatic variables relating to pregnancy, birth and the condition of the baby. This compares with 4/17 and 7/40 for affective psychotics and a total of 4/57 differences for all categories of variables when neurotics were contrasted with controls.

Conclusions

The purported increased risk of obstetric complications in schizophrenics may result from the physique/lifestyle of their mothers.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 6 , June 1995 , pp. 734 - 741
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1995 

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