A child whose mother drank alcohol while she was pregnant with him/her is more likely to have conduct problems than a child whose mother did not consume alcohol during her pregnancy, according to an article in Archives of General Psychiatry (JAMA/Archives), November issue.

The authors explain that earlier research had shown that drinking during pregnancy raised the risk of numerous problems for the offspring, including conduct problems, attention and impulsivity problems, alcohol disorders and criminal behavior. However, there have been doubts about the strength of the evidence - scientists have wondered whether other factors may have a stronger impact, such as genetic risk factors and certain family processes.

Brian M. D'Onofrio, Ph.D., of Indiana University, Bloomington, and team looked at information on 4,912 mothers who had enrolled in a national survey in 1979. On a yearly basis up to 1994, and then once every two years until 2004 the mothers answered questions regarding their own substance use during each of their pregnancies. As from 1986, 8,821 of their children were also assessed for behavioral problems once every two years until they were 11 years old.

The mothers' offspring appears to have an increase in conduct problems for every additional day per week that their mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy. The link was still their even after the researchers factored in such variables as the mothers' drug use during pregnancy, her educational level and intellectual ability.

A child whose mother drank alcohol during her pregnancy with him/her has a significantly higher risk of experiencing attention and impulsivity problems, compared to a child whose mother did not drink during her pregnancy. Siblings whose mother consumed alcohol more frequently during one pregnancy had the same level of difficulty with attention and impulsivity.

The researchers wrote "These results are consistent with prenatal alcohol exposure exerting an environmentally mediated causal effect on childhood conduct problems, but the relation between prenatal alcohol exposure and attention and impulsivity problems is more likely to be caused by other factors correlated with maternal drinking during pregnancy."

The other factors included tobacco use, the consumption of illegal drugs as well as other substances in addition to alcohol.

The scientists concluded "The findings thus support a strong inference that prenatal alcohol exposure causes an increased risk of offspring conduct problems through environmental processes. Therefore, prevention efforts should continue to target alcohol consumption during pregnancy."

"Causal Inferences Regarding Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Childhood Externalizing Problems"
Brian M. D'Onofrio, PhD; Carol A. Van Hulle, PhD; Irwin D. Waldman, PhD; Joseph Lee Rodgers, PhD; Paul J. Rathouz, PhD; Benjamin B. Lahey, PhD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007;64(11):1296-1304.
Click here to view abstract online

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