Restricted fetal growth and adverse maternal psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions as risk factors for suicidal behaviour of offspring: a cohort study

E Mittendorfer-Rutz, F Rasmussen, D Wasserman

2004

Sweden

Obstetric, neonatal, and maternal risk factors for suicide and attempted suicide in 713370 young adults, born in Sweden between 1973 and 1980, who were followed-up until Dec 31, 1999, were examined by data linkage between Swedish registers. Univariate and multivariate hazard ratios, derived from proportional-hazard models, were estimated. Significantly raised risk of attempted suicide was reported for individuals of short birth length, adjusted for gestational age (hazard ratio 1·29, 95% CI 1·18-1·41, p<0·0001); born fourth or more in birth order (1·79, 1·62-1·97, p<0·0001); born to mothers with a low educational level (1·36, 1·27-1·46, p<0·0001) (attributable proportion 10·3%); and those who, at time of delivery, had mothers aged 19 years or younger (2·09, 1·89-2·32, p<0·0001). Significant predictors of suicide were low birthweight, adjusted for gestational age (2·23, 1·43-3·46, p<0·0001), and teenage motherhood (2·30, 1·64-3·22, p<0·0001). Hypertensive diseases were significant risk factors for attempted suicide: hazard ratio 1.27 (1.00-1.63); p=0.04 Caesarean sections were also significant risk factors for attempted suicides: 1.09 (1.00-1.18); p=0.04

pre-eclampsia was not separated from 'hypertensive diseases'. In-labour and non-labour c-sections were not separated. labour unduction did not appear in the Swedish birth registers until 1991. The factor 'Apgar score' does not appear in the results.