Nurture versus nature: evidence of intrauterine effects on suicidal behaviour

Abstract

In today's Lancet, Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz and colleagues report on a cohort of 713 370 individuals born in Sweden between 1973 and 1980. Their goal was to assess the effects of early fetal environment and parental factors on suicidal behaviour in adolescents and young adults: intrauterine and perinatal conditions, and two maternal variables (psychosocial factors as captured by age and parity, and socioeconomic status as reflected in education level). Multivariate analyses revealed that low birthweight (below 2500 g) or being born to a mother still in adolescence increased the risk of later suicide. For suicide attempts, low birthweight and having an adolescent mother increased risk, as did low level of maternal education and being fourth or later in birth order. The effect of these factors on suicide risk was mild and less than the risk conferred by family history of suicidal behaviour. 1 Qin P Agerbo E Mortensen PB Suicide risk in relation to family history of completed suicide and psychiatric disorders: a nested case-control study based on longitudinal registers. Lancet. 2002; 360: 1126-1130 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (256) Google Scholar Restricted fetal growth and adverse maternal psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions as risk factors for suicidal behaviour of offspring: a cohort studyMultiparity and low maternal education predicted suicide attempt, whereas restricted fetal growth and teenage motherhood were associated with both suicide completion and attempt in offspring. Full-Text PDF