Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 16, 2026
Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development
Published on: May 17, 2024
Fetal Head Growth and Head Circumference at Birth in Children of Women with Psychotic Disorders and Population-Based
Lisanne A E M van Houtum1, Dogukan Koc1,2, Sterna A Grundeman3
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam - Sophia, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Children of mothers with psychotic disorders exhibit reduced fetal head growth in the third trimester. This study highlights altered fetal development as a potential factor in the familial risk of mental health conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Psychiatric genetics
- Prenatal development
Background:
- Children of parents with psychotic disorders face over a 50% increased risk for mental health problems.
- Over 30% of these children develop severe mental illness by early adulthood.
- Aberrant brain development is a potential underlying factor for this familial risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in fetal head circumference (HC) growth trajectories.
- To examine HC at birth between children of women with psychotic disorders and population-based controls.
- To explore potential mechanisms of risk transmission in psychosis.
Main Methods:
- Fetal ultrasonography assessments at 20, 30, and 36 weeks gestational age (GA) were collected from 140 women with psychotic disorders and their 168 children.
- Data from the Generation R study included 8605 pregnant women and their children with ultrasonography assessments.
- Head circumference at birth was measured using a measuring tape for both groups.
Main Results:
- Decreased non-linear fetal head circumference (HC) growth was observed from 30.7 weeks GA onwards in offspring of women with psychotic disorders compared to controls.
- No significant difference in HC at birth was found between the groups.
- Offspring exposed to maternal psychosis experienced more obstetric complications and lower birthweight.
Conclusions:
- Reduced fetal head growth during the third trimester and lower birthweight were observed in children of women with psychotic disorders.
- These findings suggest altered fetal head growth may be relevant for later neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- The study provides insights into potential mechanisms of risk transmission for psychosis.
Background:
Children of parents with psychotic disorders have a ˃50% increased risk to develop mental health problems, and over 30% have developed severe mental illness by early adulthood. Aberrant brain development may underly this familial risk. We aimed to investigate differences in brain development, reflected in fetal head circumference (HC) growth trajectories and HC at birth, between children of women with psychotic disorders and population-based controls.
Study Design:
We collected fetal ultrasonography assessments at 20, 30, and 36 weeks of gestational age (GA) from medical records of N = 140 pregnant women having a psychotic disorder diagnosis and their N = 168 children. In the Generation R study, ultrasonography assessments were performed in the first, second, and/or third trimester in N = 8605 pregnant women and their children. In both groups, HC at birth was measured with measuring tape.
Study Results:
Using generalized additive mixed modeling, we observed decreased non-linear fetal HC growth for offspring of women with psychotic disorders vs. controls from 30.7 weeks GA onwards. At birth, no significant difference was observed (b = 0.22, 95% CI [-0.133 to 0.573]), although offspring exposed to maternal psychosis showed more obstetric complications and suboptimal birth outcomes, including lower birthweight (b = -136.1, 95% CI [-229.0 to -43.2]).
Conclusions:
This study showed decreased fetal head growth during the third trimester and lower birthweight in children of women with psychotic disorders. Together, these findings highlight potential relevance of altered fetal head growth for later neurodevelopmental outcomes and provide directions for possible underlying mechanisms of risk transmission in psychosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
01:17Schizophrenia
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview