A. Davies et al., IMPACT OF CHILDBIRTH ON A SERIES OF SCHIZOPHRENIC MOTHERS - A COMMENTON THE POSSIBLE INFLUENCE OF ESTROGEN ON SCHIZOPHRENIA, Schizophrenia research, 16(1), 1995, pp. 25-31
From a series of 180 admissions to a Mother-Baby Unit 45 patients with
diagnoses of schizophrenia were identified. Demographic data together
with clinical information were noted, and each file was rated using t
he OPCRIT programme. Two mutually exclusive groups were derived from O
PCRIT, a 'narrow group' (n = 16), corresponding to subjects satisfying
Feighner's criteria for schizophrenia, and a 'broad group' (n = 21),
corresponding to those meeting ICD10 but not Feighner criteria. In add
ition to significant differences in age on admission, employment, home
circumstances, ethnicity and age of onset of illness, there was a mar
ked contrast between broad and narrow groups in course of illness post
partum. 43% of the broad group experienced an acute illness episode a
fter delivery compared with none of the narrow group, a contrast not a
ttributable to differences in clinical state or treatment during pregn
ancy. These data suggests that childbirth may exert a differential eff
ect on the course of illness in severe and more benign forms of schizo
phrenia, and that more severe schizophrenic illnesses may not be influ
enced by the changes associated with childbirth, such as the fall in o
estrogen levels.