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Lack of evidence for elevated obstetric complications in childhood onset schizophrenia

Anna E Ordoñez1, Aaron Bobb, Deanna Greenstein

  • 1Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

Biological Psychiatry
|July 5, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Obstetric complications (OC) are not more common in children with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) compared to their siblings. Maternal vomiting was the only exception, suggesting OC may not significantly contribute to the development of COS.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Obstetric complications (OC) are linked to schizophrenia in adults, potentially influencing severity and age of onset.
  • Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) represents a severe form of the illness with very early onset.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between obstetric complications and childhood-onset schizophrenia.
  • To compare the incidence of OC in children with COS versus their healthy siblings.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 60 children with COS and 48 healthy siblings was studied.
  • Obstetric records were assessed using the Columbia Obstetrics Complication Scale, including a fetal hypoxia subscale.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in the overall incidence of obstetric complications was found between children with COS and healthy siblings.
  • Maternal vomiting during pregnancy was observed more frequently in the COS group.

Conclusions:

  • Obstetric complications, apart from maternal vomiting, are unlikely to be a major factor in the development of childhood-onset schizophrenia.
  • Further research may clarify the specific role of maternal vomiting in the etiopathogenesis of COS.
Abstract

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