Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0777 |
| Title: | Acute maternal stress in pregnancy and schizophrenia in offspring: a cohort prospective study |
| Author(s): | Malaspina D, Corcoran C, Kleinhaus KR, et al. |
| Reference: | BMC Psychiatry. 2008 Aug 21;8:71 |
| Place of Study: | Israel |
| Abstract: | This study aimed to describe the consequence of an acute maternal stress, through a follow-up of offspring whose mothers were pregnant during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. .
In a pilot study linking birth records to Israel's Psychiatric Registry, the authors analyzed data from a cohort of 88,829 born in Jerusalem in 1964-76. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of schizophrenia, according to month of birth, gender and other variables, while controlling for father's age and other potential confounders. Other causes of hospitalized psychiatric morbidity (grouped together) were analyzed for comparison.
There was a raised incidence of schizophrenia for those who were in the second month of fetal life in June 1967 (RR = 2.3, 1.1-4.7), seen more in females (4.3, 1.7-10.7) than in males (1.2, 0.4-3.8). Results were not explained by secular or seasonal variations, altered birth weight or gestational age. For other conditions, RRs were increased in offspring who had been in the third month of fetal life in June 1967 (2.5, 1.2-5.2), also seen more in females (3.6, 1.3-9.7) than males (1.8, 0.6-5.2).
These findings suggest both a sex-specificity and a relatively short gestational time-window for gestational effects on vulnerability to schizophrenia. |
| Keyword(s): | emotional state in pregnancy |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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