Journal
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
Volume 120, Issue 11, Pages 1340-1347Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12246
Keywords
Alcohol; behaviour; cognitive tests; Millennium Cohort Study; Pregnancy
Categories
Funding
- Economic and Social Research Council [RES-596-28-0001]
- Economic and Social Research Council [ES/J019119/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- ESRC [ES/J019119/1] Funding Source: UKRI
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ObjectiveTo assess whether light drinking in pregnancy is linked to unfavourable developmental outcomes in children. DesignProspective population-based cohort. SettingUK. PopulationTen thousand five hundred and thirty-four 7-year-olds. MethodsQuasi-experimental using propensity score matching (PSM) to compare children born to light (up to 2units per week) and non-drinkers. Main outcome measuresBehavioural difficulties rated by parents and teachers; cognitive test scores for reading, maths and spatial skills. ResultsOrdinary least squares (OLS) regression and PSM analyses are presented. For behavioural difficulties, unadjusted estimates for percentage standard deviation (SD) score differences ranged from 2 to 14%. On adjustment for potential confounders, differences were attenuated, with a loss of statistical significance, except for teacher-rated boys' difficulties. For boys, parent-rated behavioural difficulties: unadjusted, -11.5; OLS, -4.3; PSM, -6.8; teacher-rated behavioural difficulties: unadjusted, -13.9; OLS, -9.6; PSM, -10.8. For girls, parent-rated behavioural difficulties: unadjusted, -9.6; OLS, -2.9; PSM, -4.5; teacher-rated behavioural difficulties: unadjusted, -2.4; OLS, 4.9; PSM, 3.9. For cognitive test scores, unadjusted estimates for differences ranged between 12 and 21% of an SD score for reading, maths and spatial skills. After adjustment for potential confounders, estimates were reduced, but remained statistically significantly different for reading and for spatial skills in boys. For boys, reading: unadjusted, 20.9; OLS, 8.3; PSM, 7.3; maths: unadjusted, 14.7; OLS, 5.0; PSM, 6.5; spatial skills: unadjusted, 16.2; OLS, 7.6; PSM, 8.1. For girls, reading: unadjusted, 11.6; OLS, -0.3; PSM, -0.5; maths: unadjusted, 12.9; OLS, 4.3; PSM, 3.9; spatial skills: unadjusted, 16.2; OLS, 7.7; PSM, 6.4. ConclusionThe findings suggest that light drinking during pregnancy is not linked to developmental problems in mid-childhood. These findings support current UK Department of Health guidelines on drinking during pregnancy.
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