Alcohol consumption in a general antenatal population and child neurodevelopment at 2 years

Abstract

Early binge exposure, followed by lower-level PAE, demonstrated an increase in sensation-avoiding behaviour. There were, however, no significant associations between PAE and neurodevelopment following adjustment for important confounders and modifiers. Follow-up is paramount to investigate subtle or later onset problems.

Forty Years of Assessing Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in Infants: What Have We Learned?

“…The New Mexico cohort also found PAE to be significantly related to increased infant negative affect ( β = 8.60, p = 0.008 using the IBQ [Bakhireva et al., ]). In the Australia cohort (Halliday et al., ), binge exposure in early pregnancy with no more than low‐to‐moderate continued exposure was associated with abnormal sensory avoidance on the ITSP (OR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.03 to 3.41). PAE throughout pregnancy was also strongly negatively correlated with elicited play (where infant play is initiated through modeling behaviors of an examiner) in 13‐month infants in South Africa ( r = −0.34, p < 0.001) and somewhat attenuated by adjustment for socio‐environmental confounders ( β = 0.022, p < 0.05 [Molteno et al., ]).…”

“…Notably, PAE was associated with poorer BSID Mental/Cognitive scores in the Detroit ( r = −0.22 at 13 months, p < 0.05 for a 1‐sided test [Kaplan‐Estrin et al., ]), Ottawa ( r = −0.19 at 13 months, p < 0.05 [Gusella and Fried, ]), and Ukraine ( β = −2.91 at 6 months, β = −2.67 at 12 months, p 's < 0.05 [Bandoli et al., ]) cohorts. No significant differences on the BSID Mental/Cognitive scores in relation to PAE were found in the Australia ( β = 3.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.19 to 7.30 at 24 months [Halliday et al., ]), New Mexico (mean cognitive scores in the moderate/mild PAE group: 102.4 ± 7.5 vs. No PAE: 101.3 ± 9.3 at 6 months, p > 0.05 [Bakhireva et al., ]), and Scotland (PAE 50 to 99 g AA/wk: β = 1.57; PAE ≥ 100 g AA/wk: β = −2.00; all analyses at 18 months, p 's > 0.05 [Forrest et al., ]) cohorts. Interestingly, in the Seattle cohort, BSID Mental/Cognitive scores were poorer in children with PAE at age 8 months (Streissguth et al., ), but normalized when reassessed at 18 months (Streissguth et al., ).…”

“…PAE throughout pregnancy was also strongly negatively correlated with elicited play (where infant play is initiated through modeling behaviors of an examiner) in 13‐month infants in South Africa ( r = −0.34, p < 0.001) and somewhat attenuated by adjustment for socio‐environmental confounders ( β = 0.022, p < 0.05 [Molteno et al., ]). With only 2 exceptions where children up to 24 months of age were assessed (Fried and Watkinson, ; Halliday et al., ), self‐regulation assessments reviewed here were predominantly used in infants between 6 and 13 months of age.…”

Systematic review showed that low and moderate prenatal alcohol and nicotine exposure affected early child development

“…Thus, the validity of data on prevalence, as well as the conclusions on the effects on early child development, should be improved. In comparison with the negative effects based on high amounts of consumption, the influence of low and moderate amounts of alcohol and nicotine exposure is scarcely understood 16,17 . The number of studies remains small, with inconsistent results.…”

“…In comparison with the negative effects based on high amounts of consumption, the influence of low and moderate amounts of alcohol and nicotine exposure is scarcely understood. 16,17 The number of studies remains small, with inconsistent results. Previous review papers reported results that focussed on different developmental outcomes.…”