title: Decreased birth weight in psychosis: influence of prenatal exposure to serologically determined influenza and hypoxia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decreased birth weight (BW) is associated with later psychosis, but the sources of decreased BW for those at risk for psychosis remain unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether fetal exposure to influenza and/or hypoxia accounts for BW decreases among psychotic cases and controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 111 cases diagnosed with schizophrenia or affective psychosis and 333 matched controls from the Collaborative Perinatal Project. Psychiatric diagnoses were ascertained from medical records. Influenza and hypoxia were determined from maternal and cord sera collected at birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases exposed to severe fetal hypoxia or influenza had significantly lower BW compared with unexposed cases and controls, regardless of exposure status. No significant differences in BW were observed among controls based on exposure status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased BW appears to be a risk factor for psychosis only in the presence of other teratogens. Liability to psychosis likely renders fetuses vulnerable to decreased fetal growth in response to hypoxia and influenza.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fineberg
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ellman
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buka
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yolken
authors.forename: Tyrone D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Cannon
mesh_terms: D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D015143:Philadelphia; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*