The raised incidence of obstetric complications often reported in people with schizophrenia is genuine and probably contributes to the aetiology of the condition.

In the UK, therapeutic hypothermia following perinatal asphyxia is increasingly being provided. The target body temperature is successfully achieved and the clinical complications observed were not attributed to hypothermia. Treatment with hypothermia may have prevented the worsening of the encephalopathy that is commonly observed following asphyxia.

at d.azzopardi@ imperial.ac.uk. *The members of the Total Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy Trial (TOBY) study group are listed in the Appendix.