Loading...
High levels of alcohol intake during pregnancy can have negative effects on fetal development and childhood behavior, but effects of low levels of alcohol intake are unknown. To better characterize these risks, researchers conducted a prospective cohort study of 2370 children born in Western Australia. Mothers were asked to categorize their drinking behavior during early pregnancy and in the third trimester. Child behavior instruments to measure internalizing (e.g., anxiety, depression) and externalizing (e.g., aggression) behaviors were administered from age 2 through 14 years.
Analysis adjusted for various maternal characteristics showed that, compared with children of women who abstained from alcohol consumption during pregnancy, children…