Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its effects on neurodevelopment: what is known and what remains uncertain
Abstract
It has been claimed that mothers' drinking during pregnancy may affect the neurodevelopment of around 1% of all children. If this is true, then prenatal alcohol exposure represents an important risk factor for neurodevelopmental problems, giving rise to a large burden of disability which could be potentially preventable. Evidence to support this idea has come from animal experiments and human observational studies. However, such findings need to be supported by more robust research designs. Because randomized controlled trials in this area are neither feasible nor ethical, suggestions are made for further research making more use of natural experiments.
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Low to moderate alcohol use in pregnancy can still produce functional damage to the brain leading to adverse cognitive and neurological development without obviously affecting other systems such as growth.
“evidence suggests that low to moderate alcohol use in pregnancy can still produce functional damage to the brain leading to adverse cognitive and neurological development without obviously affecting other systems such as growth [12].”
From The effect of moderate gestational alcohol consumption during pregnancy on speech and language outcomes in children: a systematic review (2014) · cites this paper as [12]
The effect of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on speech and language development, especially at lower or moderate levels, is unknown.
“the effect of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on speech and language development especially at lower or moderate levels is unknown [12].”
From The effect of moderate gestational alcohol consumption during pregnancy on speech and language outcomes in children: a systematic review (2014) · cites this paper as [12]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Gray, R., Mukherjee, R. A. S., & Rutter, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- King's College London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Gray, Ron
- Venue
- Addiction
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-07-13
- Volume
- 104
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1270-1273
- ISSN
- 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
- 1360-0443
- OpenAlex
- W1996870076
- Cited by
- 104
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 8.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Addiction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Keywords
- prenatal alcohol exposure, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, brain development, neurodevelopmental disorders, natural experiment, research design, disability prevention
- MeSH terms
- Alcohol Drinking, Child Behavior Disorders, Child Development, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Maternal Behavior, Mothers, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Evidence-Based Medicine, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
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