Mother's stress in early pregnancy may increase baby's risk of schizophrenia

The Telegraph reported a study that found pregnant women who suffered severe stress in early pregnancy had children with a 67 % increased risk of schizophrenia. The study was based on the data from 1.38 million Danish births occurring between 1973 and 1995.


The researchers said this study shows that stress in early pregnancy increases the risk of a baby developing mental health problems. The study is published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Impact of MTAS on junior doctors' mental health

In a BMJ letter "Mental health of applicants seems to be deteriorating", BMJ 2007;334:1335 (30 June 2007), The Royal College of Psychiatrists reported the preliminary findings of an online survey about the imapct of MMC and MTAS on junior doctors' mental health.

The results showed that there were 790 anonymous responses that indicated increased level of stress and disturbances, most attributing it to MMC/MTAS. The authors said that this requires an urgent response.

A SHO said he doubted the validity of the survey and that doctors and other professionals need resilience and MTAS has reflected that.

If you hear voices.....

Intervoice was formed in 1997 and is now is made up of 18 member countries representing support groups around the world for people who hear voices . Representatives include professionals in the field of auditory hallucinations who meet every year to discuss new research.

Intervoice launched a new website on 5 June at its annual congress held in Copenhagen, Demark with the aims to challenge the view that hearing voices is a form of mental illness and present a very different way of thinking about the meaning of hearing voices, that offers hope and recovery.