title: Perinatal circumstances and risk of offspring suicide. Birth cohort study.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between perinatal circumstances and subsequent young adult suicide in Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: New Craigs Hospital, Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NP, UK. vincent.riordan@haht.scot.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Daniel V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Riordan
authors.forename: Sivasubramaniam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selvaraj
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Julie S E
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D009790:Occupations; D010298:Parity; D010375:Pedigree; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*