Maternal stress, prenatal medical illnesses and obstetric complications: Risk factors for schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder

firemonkey · November 21, 2018, 12:48pm

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maternal stress, prenatal medical illnesses and obstetric complications: Risk factors for schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

V Pugliese, A Bruni, EA Carbone, G Calabrò, G Cerminara, G Sampogna, M Luciano, L Steardo, A Fiorillo, CS Garcia and P De Fazio, Psychiatry research, Nov 2018 13

Maternal stress and medical illnesses during early life are well-documented environmental indicators of an increased risk of schizophrenia. Few studies, conversely, have confirmed an association with major affective disorders. The present study examined the impact of maternal stress, medical illnesses and obstetric complications on the development of severe mental disorder in 240 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder and matched with 85 controls. Mothers of participants were asked about stressful events during pregnancy using the Social Readjustment Scale; information on prenatal/perinatal illnesses were acquired from medical records. Schizophrenia spectrum disorder was positively associated with maternal stress (OR = 2.16), infections (OR = 7.67), inadequate weight gain (OR = 9.52) during pregnancy, and peripartum asphyxia (OR = 4.00). An increased risk of bipolar disorder was associated with head circumference < 32 cm at birth (OR = 5.40) and inversely with inadequate weight gain (OR = 0.29). Major depressive disorder diagnosis was inversely related to inadequate weight gain (OR = 0.22). These results support a role for maternal stress, medical illnesses and obstetric complications as risk factors for subsequent severe mental illness in adulthood. Further research is needed, especially with regard to affective disorders.

Joker · November 21, 2018, 6:16pm

Wow this is pretty scary stuff. I feel sorry for how pregnant women are treated. My mum had to work until she was nearly about to burst open over the shop floor! (Sorry a bit unnecessarily graphic!)

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Maternal stress, prenatal medical illnesses and obstetric complications: Risk factors for schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder

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