The Long-Term Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Offspring: Insights from the ALSPAC Cohort.

Abstract

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a significant public health concern, associated with adverse developmental outcomes throughout the lifespan. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a globally recognized longitudinal birth cohort, provides a robust dataset for examining the effects of PAE on physical, cognitive, and behavioral health outcomes. A structured search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies that utilized ALSPAC data to explore the effects of PAE. Studies were included if they satisfied the inclusion criteria (i.e., published between in English language 1999-2024, and examined the associations between PAE and outcomes in children and adolescents. The results reveal mixed findings. While conclusions from some studies suggest significant association exist between moderate levels of PAE and mild cognitive deficits and/or increase behavioral problems, especially in specific domains such as hyperactivity and inattention, other studies showed no relationship between low-to-moderate PAEs and cognitive or behavioral outcomes. Conversely, higher PAE levels were more often significantly associated with adverse outcomes such as reduced Intelligence Quotient (IQ), behavioral and emotional problems, lower birth weight, increased risk of depression, and adolescent drug and alcohol-related problems. ALSPAC-based studies demonstrate that higher levels of PAE are linked to significant risks for cognitive, behavioral, and physical development, even though low-level PAE exposure may not cause significant harm to development. The findings underscore the necessity of cautious public health engagement concerning alcohol consumption during pregnancy and emphasize the significance of critical consideration of multiple confounding factors.