title: Examining the association between maternal analgesic use during pregnancy and risk of psychotic symptoms during adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children and adolescents who report psychotic symptoms in non-clinical samples are at an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. Study of such 'high risk' groups may increase our understanding of early risk factors for psychotic illnesses. Maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia in the offspring, and it has been hypothesised that exposure to maternal intake of analgesics during pregnancy, taken to alleviate the symptoms of viral infections, may partly explain this association. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal use of aspirin and other analgesics during pregnancy and the occurrence of psychotic symptoms in the offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a longitudinal study of 6437 children belonging to the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort who participated in the psychosis-like-symptoms semi-structured interview (PLIKSi) at 12years of age. Data on in-utero exposure to analgesics were obtained from self-report questionnaires completed by the mothers during pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increasing frequency of aspirin use during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of psychotic experiences (adjusted OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08-1.92). Risk was highest in those whose mothers used aspirin most days or daily (adjusted OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.27-6.07). Paracetamol and other analgesic use during pregnancy were not associated with the risk of offspring psychotic symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medications such as aspirin that interfere with the prostaglandin pathway, taken during pregnancy, may influence the risk of schizophrenia in the offspring. Other epidemiological studies are needed to examine this association further.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Lihini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gunawardana
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zammit
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gunnell
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolke
authors.forename: Glynn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003702:Delusions / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000082:Acetaminophen; D001241:Aspirin