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Degree of fetal growth restriction associated with schizophrenia risk in a national cohort

M G Eide1, D Moster, L M Irgens

  • 1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway. martha.eide@mfr.uib.no

Psychological Medicine
|January 10, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Fetal growth restriction, measured by birth weight and length z scores, is linearly associated with increased schizophrenia risk. Maternal pre-eclampsia also elevates schizophrenia risk, suggesting a role for fetal development in the disorder.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal epidemiology
  • Psychiatric genetics
  • Developmental neuroscience

Background:

  • Fetal growth restriction is a potential risk factor for schizophrenia.
  • Previous studies have not directly examined the dose-response relationship between fetal growth restriction and schizophrenia risk.
  • Maternal pre-eclampsia, linked to placental dysfunction and poor fetal growth, is also investigated for its association with schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the linear relationship between the degree of fetal growth restriction and the risk of developing schizophrenia.
  • To determine if maternal pre-eclampsia is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cohort study of 873,612 single live births in Norway (1967-1982) was followed to adulthood.
  • Schizophrenia diagnosis (n=2207) was ascertained through the National Insurance Scheme.
  • Fetal growth restriction was quantified using sex-specific z scores for birth weight and birth length for gestational age; maternal pre-eclampsia was recorded based on defined criteria.

Main Results:

  • Schizophrenia risk showed a linear increase with decreasing birth weight for gestational age z scores (p-trend=0.005).
  • The adjusted odds ratio for schizophrenia in the lowest birth weight z-score category (< -3.00) was 2.0 (95% CI 1.2–3.5).
  • Similar trends were observed for birth length z scores, and maternal pre-eclampsia was associated with a 1.3-fold increased risk of schizophrenia (95% CI 1.0–1.8).

Conclusions:

  • The degree of fetal growth restriction and maternal pre-eclampsia are associated with schizophrenia risk.
  • These findings highlight the importance of studying mechanisms influencing fetal growth, including placental function, in the etiology of schizophrenia.
Abstract

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