Obstetric complications in siblings of Japanese schizophrenics: data from the Maternal and Child Health Handbook.
Although the precise etiology of schizophrenia remains unknown, the development of schizophrenia has been associated with a history of obstetric complication (OC). Furthermore, some studies show structural and functional brain abnormalities in the unaffected siblings of schizophrenics. In this study the perinatal histories of 18 unaffected siblings of schizophrenics and 15 unrelated healthy controls, as detailed in their mothers' Maternal and Child Health Handbook records, were retrospectively analyzed. Records were scored for obstetric complication by the method developed by [Parnas, J., Schulsinger, F., Teasdale, T.W., Shulsinger, H., Feldman, P.M., Mednick, S.A., 1982. Perinatal complications and clinical outcome within the schizophrenia spectrum. Br. J. Psychiatry 140, 416-420]. The authors found the sibling group had greater pregnancy and birth complication (PBC) frequency, severity and total scores than the control population.
Ohara
Koichi
K
Clinical Research Institute, National Minami Hanamaki Hospital, Hanamaki, Japan. koichi_ohara@r5.dion.ne.jp
Tanabu
Shigeru
S
Yoshida
Kimiko
K
Sato
Yumi
Y
Shibuya
Haruo
H
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D035781:Siblings