Binge drinking during pregnancy and risk of seizures in childhood: a study based on the Danish National Birth Cohort

TY - JOUR

T1 - Binge drinking during pregnancy and risk of seizures in childhood: a study based on the Danish National Birth Cohort

AU - Sun, Yuelian

AU - Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine

AU - Vestergaard, Mogens

AU - Christensen, Jakob

AU - Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie

AU - Grønbaek, Morten

AU - Olsen, Jørn

PY - 2009/2

Y1 - 2009/2

N2 - Seizures are often found in children with fetal alcohol syndrome, but it is not known whether binge drinking during pregnancy by nonalcoholic women is associated with an increased risk of seizure disorders in children. The authors conducted a population-based cohort study of 80,526 liveborn singletons in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002). Information on maternal binge drinking (intake of > or = 5 drinks on a single occasion) was collected in 2 computer-assisted telephone interviews during pregnancy. Children were followed for up to 8 years. Information on neonatal seizures, epilepsy, and febrile seizures was retrieved from the Danish National Hospital Register. Results showed that exposure to binge drinking episodes during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of seizure disorders in children, except for those exposed at 11-16 gestational weeks. These children had a 3.15-fold increased risk of neonatal seizures (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 7.25) and a 1.81-fold increased risk of epilepsy (95% confidence interval: 1.13, 2.90). These findings suggest that maternal binge drinking during a specific time period of pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of specific seizure disorders in the offspring. The results are exploratory, however, and need to be replicated.

AB - Seizures are often found in children with fetal alcohol syndrome, but it is not known whether binge drinking during pregnancy by nonalcoholic women is associated with an increased risk of seizure disorders in children. The authors conducted a population-based cohort study of 80,526 liveborn singletons in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002). Information on maternal binge drinking (intake of > or = 5 drinks on a single occasion) was collected in 2 computer-assisted telephone interviews during pregnancy. Children were followed for up to 8 years. Information on neonatal seizures, epilepsy, and febrile seizures was retrieved from the Danish National Hospital Register. Results showed that exposure to binge drinking episodes during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of seizure disorders in children, except for those exposed at 11-16 gestational weeks. These children had a 3.15-fold increased risk of neonatal seizures (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 7.25) and a 1.81-fold increased risk of epilepsy (95% confidence interval: 1.13, 2.90). These findings suggest that maternal binge drinking during a specific time period of pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of specific seizure disorders in the offspring. The results are exploratory, however, and need to be replicated.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Alcohol Drinking

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Epilepsy

KW - Female

KW - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Gestational Age

KW - Humans

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Male

KW - Maternal Exposure

KW - Parity

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects

KW - Seizures

KW - Seizures, Febrile

U2 - 10.1093/aje/kwn334

DO - 10.1093/aje/kwn334

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19064645

SN - 0002-9262

VL - 169

SP - 313

EP - 322

JO - American Journal of Epidemiology

JF - American Journal of Epidemiology

IS - 3

ER -