Changes in Fertility Rates of Schizophrenic Patients in New York State

Abstract

Two cohorts of patients admitted to New York state hospitals in 1934-36 and in 1954-56 with the diagnosis of schizophrenia were compared to assess possible changes in marital and reproductive rates during the 20-year period. The authors found that patients of both sexes and all age groups in the later cohort showed increases in marital and reproductive rates in comparison with those in the earlier cohort. They attribute this trend to decreased length of hospital stay as well as more flexible social attitudes toward former patients and discuss its implications for population genetics and community problems.