Had Schizophrenia. Does This Have Any Impact On Present Pregnancy?

Posted on Fri, 1 Feb 2013

Question: My partner's mom has contracted schizophrenia years ago. For now my partner was not diagnosed with the same disease. She is 27 years old. In her early 20s she was subject to depression as she could not get into the university of her choice. She completed her treatment and since then she is healthy. She can be short tempered at times.

My question is:
In case of pregnancy what is the probability for the baby to be impacted by schyzophrenia knowing her mom is currently impacted by the disease?
Btw on my side there is no history of this disease that I know of.
What are the precautions to take to ensure the baby will be healthy?

Thanks in advance for your great help!

Answered by Dr. Mohammed Kappan (2 days later)

Hi,

Thanks for the query.

I had gone through the details you have mentioned. From the research data available, it is seen that schizophrenia has a genetic linkage too. First degree relatives have a chance of 10% in developing schizophrenia. Since your partner’s mother suffers from the disease, your partner has a 10% chance of developing schizophrenia.

Since your question was related to her baby, I would explain it in this way. If your partner develops schizophrenia, then her baby has a 10% chance of developing it. Again, the disease is not only related to the genetic aspect. If I were in your position, I wouldn’t worry much about my baby developing the disease.

As preventive measures during pregnancy, your partner can do the following. While planning a child, avoid the delivery dates being in the winter season.
-     Have regular meals and snacks.
-     Regular intake of fresh vegetables and fruits.
-     Drink plenty of water regularly.
- Take rest intermittently.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Mohammed Kappan