Pregnancy and perinatal complications associated with risks for common psychiatric disorders in a population-based sample of female twins

The association between pregnancy and perinatal complications (PPCs) and ri sks for adult psychiatric disorders other than psychoses has received relat ively limited attention. In this study, we aim to characterize the associat ions between PPCs and risks for anxiety, affective, substance use, and eati ng disorders in a population-based sample of twins. Personal interviews wer e conducted with 1,806 female twin subjects to assess their lifetime histor y of alcoholism, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, generalized anxiety dis order, major depression, panic disorder, simple phobias, and social phobias . PPCs were retrospectively assessed at personal interview with the subject 's parents. The associations between PPCs and risks for psychiatric disorde rs are characterized using logistic regression. In this sample of twins, ge stational age is associated with a significantly increased risk for anorexi a nervosa and pregnancy complications are associated with a significantly i ncreased risk for both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, Pregnancy and perinatal complications may be associated with an increased risk for eating disorders in women. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.