Publication date: 15 Jan 2021
What is already known about this subject:
- Maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy have been linked to the increased risks of mental health problems in children.
- Globally, few population-based studies have investigated the association between maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy and the risks of depressive symptoms in the children. However, the findings of these studies are inconsistent.
- A better understanding of the effect of maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy and later depressive symptoms in offspring is critical to direct preventive strategies in addressing adolescent and adult mental health problems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the association between maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy (generation 1) and the risk of depressive symptoms in the offspring (generation 2).
What this study adds
- The questionnaire completed by the study participants (Gen1) on enrolment at 18-week gestation asked about maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy were used to assign maternal alcohol and tobacco use status.
- Depressive symptoms in offspring at the age of 17 years (Gen2) were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y).
- Children born to mothers who used six or more standard drinks of alcohol per week and tobacco during the first three months of pregnancy had increased risks of depressive symptoms at the age of 17 years when compared with unexposed children, suggesting early screening and prevention of maternal alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy could reduce depressive symptoms in the children.