Skip to main page content

• HOME
• Current
• Archive
• Feedback
• Subscribe
• Help

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by KENDELL, R. E. Articles by BAIN, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by KENDELL, R. E. Articles by BAIN, M.

The British Journal of Psychiatry (2000) 176: 516-522
© 2000 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Obstetric complications and schizophrenia

Two case-control studies based on structured obstetric records

R. E. KENDELL, FRSE

Edinburgh University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh

K. McINNENY, BA, E. JUSZCZAK, MSc and M. BAIN, MFPHM

Information and Statistics Division, National Health Service in Scotland, Edinburgh

Correspondence: Dr R. E. Kendell, 3 West Castle Road, Edinburgh EHI0 5AT

Declaration of interest Funded by the Scottish Office Department of Health.

See pp.523-530, this issue.

Background Most previous case-control studies of obstetric complications in schizophrenia have been small scale and many have relied on retrospective information.

Aims To determine which obstetric complications are more common in probands with schizophrenia than matched controls.

Method Two hundred and ninety-six probands with an in-patient diagnosis of schizophrenia who had been born in Scotland in 1971-74, and a further 156 born in 1975-78, were closely matched with controls and the incidence of obstetric complications in the two compared using obstetric data recorded in a set format shortly after birth.

Results Not a single complication of pregnancy or delivery was significantly more common in the probands with schizophrenia than the controls in the 1971-74 birth cohort and only emergency Caesarean section and labour lasting over 12 hours were significantly more common in the schizophrenia probands in the 1975-78 cohort.

Conclusion The evidence that schizophrenia is associated with a raised incidence of obstetric complications is weaker than has recently been assumed.

Related articles in BJP:

Obstetric complications and affective psychoses: Two case-control studies based on structured obstetric records

M. BAIN, E. JUSZCZAK, K. McINNENY, and R. E. KENDELL
BJP 2000 176: 523-526. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

Invited commentaries on: Obstetric complications and schizophrenia/affective psychoses

T.J. Crow
BJP 2000 176: 527-529. [Full Text]  

Invited Commentaries on: Obstetric complications and Schizophrenia/affective psychoses

John L. Waddington
BJP 2000 176: 529-530. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. V. Jablensky, V. Morgan, S. R. Zubrick, C. Bower, and L.-A. Yellachich Pregnancy, Delivery, and Neonatal Complications in a Population Cohort of Women With Schizophrenia and Major Affective Disorders Am J Psychiatry, January 1, 2005; 162(1): 79 - 91. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Leask Environmental influences in schizophrenia: the known and the unknown Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., September 1, 2004; 10(5): 323 - 330. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T.J. CROW Obstetric Complications and Schizophrenia Am J Psychiatry, May 1, 2003; 160(5): 1011 - 1012. [Full Text]

				A. M. McINTOSH, S. HOLMES, S. GLEESON, J. K. BURNS, A. K. HODGES, M. M. BYRNE, R. DOBBIE, P. MILLER, S. M. LAWRIE, and E. C. JOHNSTONE Maternal recall bias, obstetric history and schizophrenia The British Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2002; 181(6): 520 - 525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T.J. Crow Invited commentaries on: Signs of asphyxia at birth and risk of schizophrenia/Obstetric complications and risk of schizophrenia The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2001; 179(5): 415 - 416. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Bhugra and K. Bhui African-Caribbeans and schizophrenia: contributing factors Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., July 1, 2001; 7(4): 283 - 291. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. B. PEDERSEN and P. B. MORTENSEN Family history, place and season of birth as risk factors for schizophrenia in Denmark: a replication and reanalysis The British Journal of Psychiatry, July 1, 2001; 179(1): 46 - 52. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. R. Sanders and P. V. Gejman Influential Ideas and Experimental Progress in Schizophrenia Genetics Research JAMA, June 13, 2001; 285(22): 2831 - 2833. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. KUNUGI, S. NANKO, and R. M. MURRAY Obstetric complications and schizophrenia: prenatal underdevelopment and subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 1, 2001; 178 (40): s25 - s29. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Obstetric Complications in Schizophrenia: Another Look Journal Watch Psychiatry, July 18, 2000; 2000(718): 8 - 8. [Full Text]

				M. BAIN, E. JUSZCZAK, K. McINNENY, and R. E. KENDELL Obstetric complications and affective psychoses: Two case-control studies based on structured obstetric records The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2000; 176(6): 523 - 526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T.J. Crow Invited commentaries on: Obstetric complications and schizophrenia/affective psychoses The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2000; 176(6): 527 - 529. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Waddington Invited Commentaries on: Obstetric complications and Schizophrenia/affective psychoses The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2000; 176(6): 529 - 530. [Full Text] [PDF]