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Perinatal circumstances and risk of offspring suicide

Birth cohort study

New Craigs Hospital, Inverness

Sivasubramaniam Selvaraj, MSc

Centre for Rural Health Research and Policy, Inverness

Cameron Stark, FFPH, NHS

Highland, Inverness

Julie S. E. Gilbert, BSc

Information Services, NHS National Services Scotland

Correspondence: Dr D.V. Riordan, New Craigs Hospital, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NP, UK. Tel.: +44 01463 253627; fax: +44 01463 704696; Email: vincent.riordan{at}haht.scot.nhs.uk

Declaration of interest None. Funding by the Scottish Chief Scientist Office.

Background A higher risk of suicide has been associated with low birth weight in one study, but not yet replicated. Higher birth order has been associated with self-harm, but not with suicide.

Aims To examine the relationship between perinatal circumstances and subsequent young adult suicide in Scotland.

Method Using linked data from the Scottish Morbidity Record and Scottish death records, a birth cohort of 1061830 people was followed-up for a mean of 25.1 years. Data were analysed using Cox regression.

Results Higher maternal parity, younger maternal age (<25 years), non-professional parental occupations and low birth weight (<2500 g) were independently associated with higher suicide risk of offspring as young adults. There was no independent association with gestational age.

Conclusions Our findings provide support for the influence of maternal circumstance and foetal experience on subsequent mental health.

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