Cited by 118Prenatal Substance Exposure EffectsSmoking Behavior and CessationMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Maternal smoking and child psychological problems: disentangling causal and noncausal effects

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Brion, Marie-Jo, Victora, Cesar, Matijasevich, Alicia, Horta, Bernardo, Anselmi, Luciana, Steer, Colin, Menezes, Ana Maria B., Lawlor, Debbie A. +1 more·2010·PEDIATRICS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore associations of maternal prenatal smoking and child psychological problems and determine the role of causal intrauterine mechanisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Maternal smoking and child psychological problems were explored in 2 birth cohorts in Pelotas, Brazil (n = 509, random subsample), and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in Britain (n = 6735). Four approaches for exploring causal mechanisms were applied: (1) cross-population comparisons between a high-income and a middle-income country; (2) multiple adjustment for socioeconomic and parental psychological factors; (3) maternal-paternal comparisons as a test of putative intrauterine effects; and (4) searching for specific effects on different behavioral subscales. RESULTS: Socioeconomic patterning of maternal prenatal smoking was stronger in the ALSPAC compared with the Pelotas cohort. Despite this difference in a key confounder, consistency in observed associations was found between these cohorts. In both cohorts, unadjusted maternal smoking was associated with greater offspring hyperactivity, conduct/externalizing problems, and peer problems but not with emotional/internalizing problems. After adjusting for confounders and paternal prenatal smoking, only the association with conduct/externalizing problems persisted in both cohorts (conduct problems in the ALSPAC cohort, odds ratio [OR]: 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.46], P = .005; externalizing problems in the Pelotas cohort, OR: 1.82 [95% CI: 1.19-2.78], P = .005; ORs reflect ordinal odds ratios of maternal smokers having offspring with higher scores). Maternal smoking associations were stronger than paternal smoking associations, although statistical evidence that these associations differed was weak in 1 cohort. CONCLUSION: Evidence from 4 approaches suggests a possible intrauterine effect of maternal smoking on offspring conduct/externalizing problems.

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  1. [23]Horta BL Victora CG Barros FC dos Santos I Menezes AM Tabagismo em gestantes de area urbana da regiao Sul do Brasil, 1982 e 1993 Rev Saude Publica 1997 31 247 253 9515261

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Authors
Brion, M.-J., Victora, C., Matijasevich, A., Horta, B., Anselmi, L., Steer, C., Menezes, A. M. B., Lawlor, D. A., & Davey Smith, G.
Affiliations
  • Medical Research Council (GB)
  • Universidade Federal de Pelotas (BR)
  • Postgraduate Programme in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
  • University of Bristol (GB)
  • MRC Centre for Causal Analyses in Translational Epidemiology,
Venue
PEDIATRICS
Published
2010-07-01
Volume
126
Issue
1
Pages
e57-e65
ISSN
  • 0031-4005 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-4275
OpenAlex
W2152740105
Cited by
117
References
33
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 14
FWCI
10.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PEDIATRICS (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust (085515)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Keywords
child psychological problems, conduct problems, externalizing problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, internalizing problems, socioeconomic confounding, paternal smoking, cross-population comparison, Pelotas cohort, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
MeSH terms
Attitude to Health, Child, Child Behavior, Child Behavior Disorders, Developmental Disabilities, Child, Preschool, Female, Follow-Up Studies, United Kingdom, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Maternal Behavior, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Severity of Illness Index, Smoking, Socioeconomic Factors, Cohort Studies, Causality, Multivariate Analysis, Confidence Intervals, Odds Ratio, Risk Assessment, Maternal Exposure, Paternal Exposure

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