Association of intrauterine alcohol exposure and offspring depression: A negative control analysis of maternal and partner consumption

BackgroundPrevious research has suggested that intrauterine alcohol exposure is associated with a variety of adverse outcomes in offspring. However, few studies have investigated its association with offspring internalising disorders in late adolescence.MethodsUsing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we investigated the associations of maternal drinking in pregnancy with offspring depression at age 18. We also examined partner drinking as a negative control for intrauterine exposure for comparison.ResultsOffspring of mothers that consumed any alcohol at 18 weeks gestation were at increased risk of having a diagnosis of depression (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.32), but there was no clear evidence of association between partners alcohol consumption during pregnancy and increased risk of offspring depression (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.04).ConclusionsMaternal drinking in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of offspring depression at age 18. Residual confounding may explain this association, but the negative control comparison of paternal drinking provides some evidence that it may be causal, and this warrants further investigation.