Antenatal substance exposure and infants’ telomere length: A scoping review

Background

Antenatal substance exposure due to maternal substance use during pregnancy has increased significantly, leading to suboptimal health outcomes for infants. Telomere length (TL) is a biological aging marker that may be affected by antenatal substance exposures. A comprehensive review of relevant studies is crucial for providing insights into the etiology of infant developmental outcomes.

Objectives

This scoping review, guided by the PRISMA guideline, aims to identify and summarize the existing research on the relationships between infants’ antenatal substance exposure and TL.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO. Search terms included antenatal, prenatal, infant, and various psychotropic substances. The review included studies examining the associations between antenatal substance exposure and TL. The last literature search was conducted on April 16, 2023.

Results

Seven articles met the inclusion criteria, addressing diverse substances such as alcohol, opioids, and tobacco. Among the seven studies, one evaluated the influence of antenatal alcohol exposure, one assessed antenatal opioid exposure, and five investigated antenatal tobacco exposure. The findings across the articles were varied, with five reporting indirect correlations and two reporting direct correlations between antenatal substance exposure and the TL in exposed infants.

Conclusions

This scoping review identified a significant gap in the current literature about the associations between antenatal substance exposure and TL in infants. The diverse findings emphasize the need for further research to explore whether TL could serve as a potential biomarker for predicting the effects of substance exposure on offspring. This study lays the foundation for future investigation and contributes to understanding the complex relationship between antenatal substance exposure and telomere biology in infants.