Table 2.
Prospective studies examining the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on pregnancy outcomes (results not included in the meta-analysis)
| Outcome | Study (year) | Country (total no) | Outcome details | Reason not included in meta-analysis | Age at outcome assessment (child) | Results* | Adjusted (yes/no) |
| Pregnancy outcomes | |||||||
| Stillbirth | Andersen25 | Denmark (89 322) | Stillbirth | Estimates are in different directions | Outcome confirmed via national/hospital registries or from maternal report | OR 0.90 (95% CI 0.73 to 1.12) | Yes |
| Salihu27 | USA (1 226 685) | Stillbirth | Estimates are in different directions | Birth | OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.39) | Yes | |
| Miscarriage | Andersen25 | Denmark (89 322) | Miscarriage in first trimester | Only study with this outcome | (Outcome confirmed via national/hospital registries or from maternal report) | OR 1.05 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.18) | Yes |
| Windham57 | USA (5324) | Spontaneous abortion occurring ≤20 weeks gestation | Only study with this outcome | (Outcome confirmed via medical records) | OR 1.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 1.5) | Yes | |
| Gestational age and preterm birth | Passaro54 | UK (10 539) | Gestational age | Only study with this outcome | Birth | Mean gestational age 40.1 (SD 1.9) for those exposed, compared with 40.1 (SD 2.0) for those unexposed | Yes |
| Ogston58 | The Netherlands, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal (8453) | Per cent of infants with gestational age <37 weeks | 3.7% in those exposed compared with 3.9% in those unexposed | Yes | |||
| Birth weight | Ogston58 | The Netherlands, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal (8453) | Mean birth weight (g) in non-smokers | SE/SD not reported | Birth | 3414 g in those exposed, compared with 3363 g in those unexposed | Yes |
| Ogston58 | The Netherlands, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal (8453) | Mean birth weight (g) in smokers | SE/SD not reported | Birth | 3225 g in those exposed, compared with 3225 g in those unexposed | Yes | |
| Placenta related | Salihu27 | USA (1 226 685) | Placental abruption | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.24 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.46) | Yes |
| Salihu27 | USA (1 226 685) | Placenta previa | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.11 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.43) | Yes | |
| Pre-eclampsia | Salihu27 | USA (1 226 685) | Pre-eclampsia | Only two studies with this outcome | Birth | OR 0.82 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.90) | Yes |
| McCarthy23 | New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, UK | Pre-eclampsia | Only two studies with this outcome | Birth | OR 0.59 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.99) | Yes | |
| Height | Lundsberg22 | USA (4496) | Lowest 10th percentile of birth length | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.78 to 1.54) | Yes |
| Head circumference | Lundsberg22 | USA (4496) | Lowest 10th percentile of head circumference | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.08 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.42) | Yes |
| Apgar score | Lundsberg22 | USA (4496) | Apgar <7 at 5 min | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.61 (95% CI 0.67 to 3.84) | Yes |
| Admission to NICU | Lundsberg22 | USA (4496) | Admission to NICU | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.12 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.46) | Yes |
| FASD | |||||||
| Malformations | Lundsberg22 | USA (4496) | Major malformations | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 0.78 (95% CI 0.40 to 1.50) | Yes |
| Bille20 | Denmark (1020) | Oral clefts | Only study with this outcome | Birth | OR 1.06 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.50) | Yes | |
| Ernhart59 | USA (873) | Craniofacial anomalies | SE/SD not reported | Birth | Mean craniofacial anomalies was 1.92 for those exposed, compared with 1.85 for those unexposed (p=0.26) | Yes | |
| Ernhart59 | USA (873) | Total anomalies | SE/SD not reported | Birth | Mean total anomalies was 2.60 for those exposed, compared with 2.53 for those unexposed (p=0.28) | Yes | |
| Motor development | Faebo Larsen60 | Denmark (32 097) | DCD | Only study with this outcome | 7 years | OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.03) | Yes |
| Behaviour /development |
Sayal52 | UK (967) | 10% with highest problem scores, SDQ parent report Conduct problems |
Later age used in analysis | 3.9 years | OR 1.14 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.32) | Yes |
| Sayal52 | UK (1077) | 10% with highest problem scores, SDQ parent report Hyperactivity | Later age used in analysis | 3.9 years | OR 0.99 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.16) | Yes | |
| Sayal52 | UK (257) | 10% with highest problem scores, SDQ teacher report Conduct problems | Parent report used in analysis instead | 7.75–9 years | OR 1.41 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.94) | Yes | |
| Sayal52 | UK (525) | 10% with highest problem scores, SDQ teacher report Hyperactivity | Parent report used in analysis instead | 7.75–9 years | OR 1.20 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.51) | Yes | |
| Parry61 | The Netherlands, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal (8453) | Mental Development Index, Bayley Scales of Infant Development | No SE/SD reported for reference group | 18 months | Mean increase of 1.80 points (SE 1.1) for those exposed compared with unexposed | Yes | |
| Parry61 | The Netherlands, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Portugal (8453) | Psychomotor Development Index, Bayley Scales of Infant Development | No SE/SD reported for reference group | 18 months | Mean increase of 0.81 points (SE 0.8) for those exposed compared with unexposed | Yes | |
| Cognition | Sayal28 | UK (10 558) | KS2 scores | Only study with this outcome | 11 years | Mean increase of 0.38 (95% CI −0.02 to 0.78) on KS2 score for those exposed compared with unexposed | Yes |
| Alati29 | UK (4332) | IQ, WISC-III | Only study with this outcome | 8 years | Mean IQ score 106.4 (SD 16.3) in those exposed, compared with 105.7 (SD 16.2) in those unexposed, p=0.10. | No | |
*OR results compare the odds of outcome in those exposed to ≤32 g AA (absolute alcohol) per week.
KS2, Key Stage 2 score; FASD, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; WISC, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.