MILD VENTRICULOMEGALY DETECTED IN-UTERO WITH ULTRASOUND - CLINICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA

The most consistent structural abnormality of the brain associated wit h schizophrenia is that of mild enlargement of the lateral cerebral ve ntricles. Mild ventriculomegaly (MVM) of the fetal brain detected in u tero with ultrasound is associated with developmental delays similar t o those described in children at high risk of schizophrenia. Fetal mil d ventriculomegaly may be a marker for increased risk of schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Given the association bet ween schizophrenia and obstetrical complications, pre- and perinatal c omplications and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively reviewed in 5 1 pregnancies in which the fetus exhibited mild ventriculomegaly on ro utine ultrasonography and 49 control pregnancies. Mothers of children with MVM were older than controls and had shorter gestations. There we re no significant between-group differences in numbers of pregnancy co mplications or pregnancy outcomes as reflected in gestational age at b irth, birthweight, or Apgar scores. Children with isolated mild ventri culomegaly tended to be male. This study indicates that isolated mild ventriculomegaly detected in utero is not associated with pregnancy co mplications and suggests that isolated mild ventriculomegaly of the fe tus is genetically determined or caused by environmental events not ro utinely considered pregnancy complications. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.