Pre-pregnancy risk drinking predicts toddler behavior problems

05 August 2014 - Science Daily

In the study, several screening questions were used to measure maternal drinking behaviour.

The study shows that risk drinking before pregnancy increases the risk of early behaviour problems among children. According to the researchers, risk drinking may be due to other associated risk factors in maternal behaviour such as anxiety, depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which also are known to have an impact on child behavioural problems.

"This increased risk for behavioural problems in the child is probably not due to the risk drinking per se, but rather to the general mental health and lifestyle of some of the mothers. Risk drinking behaviour before pregnancy may indicate that these families could need closer follow-up and support during the early years of the child's life" says Ann Kristin Knudsen, primary author of the article published in the European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry journal.