Fetal alcohol effects can linger
25 April 2003
Exposure to alcohol before birth can lead to the development of drinking problems in later life, US researchers have warned.
Women who regularly drank 5 or more drinks in one session were 3 times more likely than lighter drinkers to give birth to a child who would have some form of alcohol dependence by the age of 21 years.
The study of 433 families found that exposure to alcohol before birth was a risk even after accounting for family history of alcohol problems, nicotine exposure before birth, and other aspects of family environment (Archives of General Psychiatry 2003; 60: 377-85).
Last Reviewed: 23 April 2003
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 25/4/03
Sponsored links
