Bearing children as a schizophrenic

[Micsodi]

I am the first diagnosed schizophrenic in my family.
For as long as I have been sick I debated in my head as to bring a child to this world or if I shouldn't. Some say it's a selfish desire even to consider it.
I know there is a risk he or she might get sick like me, since there is a genetic factor. To the best of my knowledge, there is at least a 10% chance of inheriting the mental disorder.
I know how stability is important in a family and a parent should be there 100%, always, and if I should relapse, I know I would get though it much better from now on.
I have been sick for four years, I can cope with this and I feel much better now that we found the right medication for me, but I am aware that IF I choose to have a child one day, it needs to clear out of my body, since it would endanger the development of the baby.
I am interested in your opinion on the subject.
Do you have children?

 

[PastelKittenX]

I'm a female with psychosis/schizophrenia and I still want my own kids. I think 10% is a really small risk and if I raise them well (in a loving home and good environment), I'm sure theyll be fine. If they ever do get it, I'd be able to support them and help them.

Some people don't have schizophrenia and yet their child still develops it. For example, my Mum and Dad don't have schizophrenia or any one else in my family (blood related), and yet... Here I am!

 

[Donovan Stephenson (was EdEd)]

I dont really know what to think of the genetic factors.. I know what it says but , I would like to believe that the percentage is not that high , or even accurate for that matter.. I dont believe the genetic side of it , and believe it has to do with life choices and nutrition more than anything else..

 

[Justatheory]

1) The fertility rate paradox of schizophrenia: The fertility rate for schizophrenia is below 50% in all studies, most give numbers of 20-30%. If there would be even a small, 10% genetic influence in schizo, then in just 3 generations it would go from 10% to 5% to 2% etc.

2) The Nazi experiment: Nazy Germany managed to kill or sterilize between 73% - 100% of the schizo population. Half of them were killed, half of them were sterilized. They believed schizo was genetic and therefore, killing all schizo people would eradicate the problem. To everybody surprise, 20 years after this happened, the incidence rate for schizo was double than normal in Germany, being the highest in Europe at the time, equal only to the rate in Netherlands during the embargo and the famine.

This has been well documented by scientist from many countries. Eugenics was a huge thing in the interbelic period and everyone was interested to see what will happen with the incidence rate in Germany, especially the americans. Americans had an identical program and the Nazis justified their program by saying the americans were doing the same. The last forced sterilization in USA took place in 1983.

3) Fertility rate of relatives: Due to the fertility rate problem, proponents of the genetic theory of schizo said that maybe the relatives of people with schizo have a higher than normal fertility rate. This has been possible to verify in Sweeden, Danemark and other countries that keep records on all people with schizo. Their relatives have a normal fertility rate.

4) The great genome project: Today we live in the post-genome era. People have searched for genes that people with schizo might have in common compared to controls. Dozens of "candidate genes" were proposed, all failed at replication. There is no gene that schizo people have in bigger proportion than controls, not even by 1%. This is called "the missing heritability problem". The idea that a random mutation might be responsible has not even been proposed for schizo because it would be statistically impossible, giving that the incidence rate is 1/100 not 1/million.


Besides the fact that schizo has nothing to do with genetics, not even 1%, due to the fertility rate paradox, around 10 years ago scientific evidences for the causes of schizo have been discovered. I am speaking about those corelations for psyhosocial factors.


PS: The fertility rate paradox is one of the most well studies things is psychiatry, due to the huge popularity that eugenics had for decades. I find it incredible that so few people know about it.

 

[Donovan Stephenson (was EdEd)]

1) The fertility rate paradox of schizophrenia: The fertility rate for schizophrenia is below 50% in all studies, most give numbers of 20-30%. If there would be even a small, 10% genetic influence in schizo, then in just 3 generations it would go from 10% to 5% to 2% etc.

2) The Nazi experiment: Nazy Germany managed to kill or sterilize between 73% - 100% of the schizo population. Half of them were killed, half of them were sterilized. They believed schizo was genetic and therefore, killing all schizo people would eradicate the problem. To everybody surprise, 20 years after this happened, the incidence rate for schizo was double than normal in Germany, being the highest in Europe at the time, equal only to the rate in Netherlands during the embargo and the famine.

This has been well documented by scientist from many countries. Eugenics was a huge thing in the interbelic period and everyone was interested to see what will happen with the incidence rate in Germany, especially the americans. Americans had an identical program and the Nazis justified their program by saying the americans were doing the same. The last forced sterilization in USA took place in 1983.

3) Fertility rate of relatives: Due to the fertility rate problem, proponents of the genetic theory of schizo said that maybe the relatives of people with schizo have a higher than normal fertility rate. This has been possible to verify in Sweeden, Danemark and other countries that keep records on all people with schizo. Their relatives have a normal fertility rate.

4) The great genome project: Today we live in the post-genome era. People have searched for genes that people with schizo might have in common compared to controls. Dozens of "candidate genes" were proposed, all failed at replication. There is no gene that schizo people have in bigger proportion than controls, not even by 1%. This is called "the missing heritability problem". The idea that a random mutation might be responsible has not even been proposed for schizo because it would be statistically impossible, giving that the incidence rate is 1/100 not 1/million.


Besides the fact that schizo has nothing to do with genetics, not even 1%, due to the fertility rate paradox, around 10 years ago scientific evidences for the causes of schizo have been discovered. I am speaking about those corelations for psyhosocial factors.

Very informative thanks.

 

[LORD BURT]

I feel I could become a foster parent in about 10 years time - or perhaps even later if I am healthy. It will be a good way to do my bit, without bringing another poor soul into this world, which can be cruel.

 

[Mayflower7]

I always wanted children, however I'm now in my forties and have both physical and mental disabilities.
I know I couldn't be as good as I would want to be, so I won't have children.

 

[jajingna]

I didn't find any results on google that match "fertility rate paradox" or "fertility rate paradox in schizophrenia" --when those phrases are in quotes-- but some for "fertility paradox" in quotes are there

1) The fertility rate paradox of schizophrenia: The fertility rate for schizophrenia is below 50% in all studies, most give numbers of 20-30%. If there would be even a small, 10% genetic influence in schizo, then in just 3 generations it would go from 10% to 5% to 2% etc.
....
PS: The fertility rate paradox is one of the most well studies things is psychiatry, due to the huge popularity that eugenics had for decades. I find it incredible that so few people know about it.

My mother was schizophrenic and had seven sons. None of us have had it.

 

[ht46]

I have two distant cousins with it so have always thought genetics had a role, but mostly for me I think had more to do with drug use and trauma and that I might have been more exposed to it with undiagnosed add and learning difficulties. But I don't think I would have developed psychosis with out trauma.

 

[ht46]

But my GF has and had two friends who's mothers were schizophrenic but her friends weren't.

 

[Justatheory]

I have two distant cousins with it so have always thought genetics had a role, but mostly for me I think had more to do with drug use and trauma and that I might have been more exposed to it with undiagnosed add and learning difficulties. But I don't think I would have developed psychosis with out trauma.

87% of schizo people had trauma. It's pretty much the biggest known factor besides getting raised in a foster home.

 

[Micsodi]

Thank you for sharing, everyone! Your stories are heartfelt. I feel hope rising in my chest.