title: Obstetric complications and schizophrenia: prenatal underdevelopment and subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have shown an association between obstetric complications and schizophrenia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible relationship between prenatal underdevelopment, neurodevelopmental abnormality and subsequent schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature was reviewed. In particular, by pooling data from recently published reports, we examined whether low birthweight (< 2500 g) is a risk factor for schizophrenia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low birthweight was significantly more common for subjects with schizophrenia than for control subjects: P < 0.00001, odds ratio 2.6 (95% CI 2.0 to 3.3). Individuals born prematurely are at greater risk of perinatal brain damage and subsequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities, which may constitute vulnerability to the development of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia who had low birthweights also tended to have poor premorbid psychosocial adjustment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low birthweight is a modest, but definite, risk factor for schizophrenia. Brain damage associated with prenatal underdevelopment has a role in the pathogenesis of poor premorbid functioning and subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment in some cases of schizophrenia.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 11-1, Kaga 2 Chrome, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan. hkunugi@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kunugi
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Nanko
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Murray
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000209:etiology*