Pre-conception inter-pregnancy interval and risk of schizophrenia.

Abstract

It is hypothesised that the risk of schizophrenia may be elevated in children conceived following a short inter-pregnancy interval, when maternal folate stores are still being replenished. We examined the relationship between inter-pregnancy interval and schizophrenia risk in a longitudinal, population-based cohort. Risk of schizophrenia was increased by approximately 150% in those born following a pregnancy interval of ≤6 months, but was not increased if the interval after birth of the participant, before conception of the subsequent sibling, was ≤6 months. These findings support the hypothesis that folate (or other micronutrient) deficiency during fetal development may be an important risk factor for schizophrenia.

• Authors: Lihini Gunawardana, George Davey Smith, Stanley Zammit, Elise Whitley, David Gunnell, Sarah Lewis, Finn Rasmussen
• Journal: The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science (Br J Psychiatry) Vol. 199 Issue 4 Pg. 338-9 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1472-1465 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21816866 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Birth Intervals (statistics & numerical data)
• Female
• Folic Acid Deficiency
• Humans
• Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
• Pregnancy
• Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
• Risk Factors
• Schizophrenia (epidemiology)
• Time Factors