Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Severe Antisocial Behavior in Offspring: A Review
Lauren S. Wakschlag, PhD,
Kate E. Pickett, PhD,
Edwin Cook, Jr, MD,
Neal L. Benowitz, MD and
Bennett L. Leventhal, MD
Lauren S. Wakschlag, Edwin Cook, and Bennett L. Leventhal are with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Kate E. Pickett is with the Departments of Health Studies and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. Neal L. Benowitz is with the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Francisco.
Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Lauren S. Wakschlag, PhD, University of Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, MC3077, 5841 S Maryland, Chicago, IL 60637 (e-mail: laurie{at}yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu).
Objectives. Recent research suggests that in utero exposureto maternal smoking is a risk factor for conduct disorder anddelinquency. We review evidence of causality, a controversialbut important public health question.
Methods. We analyzed studies of maternal prenatal smoking andoffspring antisocial behavior within a causal framework.
Results. The association is (1) independent of confounders,(2) present across diverse contexts, and (3) consistent withbasic science. Methodological limitations of existing studiespreclude causal conclusions.
Conclusions. Existing evidence provides consistent support for,but not proof of, an etiologic role for prenatal smoking inthe onset of antisocial behavior. The possibility of identifyinga preventable prenatal risk factor for a serious mental disordermakes further research on this topic important for public health.
This article has been cited by other articles:
D. Best, Committee on Environmental Health, Committee on Native American Child Health, and Committee on Adolescence Secondhand and Prenatal Tobacco Smoke Exposure
Pediatrics,
November 1, 2009;
124(5):
e1017 - e1044.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M. B. Enlow, A. Kullowatz, J. Staudenmayer, J. Spasojevic, T. Ritz, and R. J. Wright Associations of Maternal Lifetime Trauma and Perinatal Traumatic Stress Symptoms With Infant Cardiorespiratory Reactivity to Psychological Challenge
Psychosom Med,
July 1, 2009;
71(6):
607 - 614.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
K E Pickett, R G Wilkinson, and L S Wakschlag The psychosocial context of pregnancy smoking and quitting in the Millennium Cohort Study
J Epidemiol Community Health,
June 1, 2009;
63(6):
474 - 480.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
S. J Roza, F. C Verhulst, V. W. Jaddoe, E. A. Steegers, J. P Mackenbach, A. Hofman, and H. Tiemeier Maternal smoking during pregnancy and child behaviour problems: the Generation R Study
Int. J. Epidemiol.,
June 1, 2009;
38(3):
680 - 689.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
B. Maughan Unravelling prenatal influences: the case of smoking in pregnancy
Int. J. Epidemiol.,
June 1, 2009;
38(3):
619 - 621.
[Full Text][PDF]
M. T. Willoughby, S. H. Kollins, F. J. McClernon, and The Family Life Investigative Group Association between smoking and retrospectively reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in a large sample of new mothers
Nicotine Tob Res,
March 23, 2009;
(2009)
ntp001v1.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
F. Rice, G. T. Harold, J. Boivin, D. F. Hay, M. van den Bree, and A. Thapar Disentangling prenatal and inherited influences in humans with an experimental design
PNAS,
February 17, 2009;
106(7):
2464 - 2467.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
E. R. Disney, W. Iacono, M. McGue, E. Tully, and L. Legrand Strengthening the Case: Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Is Associated With Increased Risk for Conduct Disorder
Pediatrics,
December 1, 2008;
122(6):
e1225 - e1230.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
R. E Tremblay Understanding development and prevention of chronic physical aggression: towards experimental epigenetic studies
Phil Trans R Soc B,
August 12, 2008;
363(1503):
2613 - 2622.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
K E Pickett, C Wood, J Adamson, L DeSouza, and L S Wakschlag Meaningful differences in maternal smoking behaviour during pregnancy: implications for infant behavioural vulnerability
J Epidemiol Community Health,
April 1, 2008;
62(4):
318 - 324.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
M. G. Turner, J. L. Hartman, and D. M. Bishop The Effects of Prenatal Problems, Family Functioning, and Neighborhood Disadvantage in Predicting Life-Course-Persistent Offending
Criminal Justice and Behavior,
October 1, 2007;
34(10):
1241 - 1261.
[Abstract][PDF]
K. Meyer and Lubo Zhang Fetal Programming of Cardiac Function and Disease
Reproductive Sciences,
April 1, 2007;
14(3):
209 - 216.
[Abstract][PDF]
H. S. Bada, A. Das, C. R. Bauer, S. Shankaran, B. Lester, L. LaGasse, J. Hammond, L. L. Wright, and R. Higgins Impact of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Child Behavior Problems Through School Age
Pediatrics,
February 1, 2007;
119(2):
e348 - e359.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
T. C. Pratt, J. M. McGloin, and N. E. Fearn Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and criminal/deviant behavior: a meta-analysis.
Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol,
December 1, 2006;
50(6):
672 - 690.
[Abstract][PDF]
A. Al Mamun, F. V O'Callaghan, R. Alati, M. O'Callaghan, J. M Najman, G. M Williams, and W. Bor Does maternal smoking during pregnancy predict the smoking patterns of young adult offspring? A birth cohort study
Tob. Control,
December 1, 2006;
15(6):
452 - 457.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J. M. McGloin, T. C. Pratt, and A. R. Piquero A Life-Course Analysis of the Criminogenic Effects of Maternal Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy: A Research Note on the Mediating Impact of Neuropsychological Deficit
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency,
November 1, 2006;
43(4):
412 - 426.
[Abstract][PDF]
T. M. M. BUTTON, A. THAPAR, and P. McGUFFIN Relationship between antisocial behaviour, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and maternal prenatal smoking
The British Journal of Psychiatry,
August 1, 2005;
187(2):
155 - 160.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
K. M. Linnet, K. Wisborg, C. Obel, N. J. Secher, P. H. Thomsen, E. Agerbo, and T. B. Henriksen Smoking During Pregnancy and the Risk for Hyperkinetic Disorder in Offspring
Pediatrics,
August 1, 2005;
116(2):
462 - 467.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
B P Lanphear and C F Bearer Biomarkers in paediatric research and practice
Arch. Dis. Child.,
June 1, 2005;
90(6):
594 - 600.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J. P. Winickoff, A. B. Berkowitz, K. Brooks, S. E. Tanski, A. Geller, C. Thomson, H. A. Lando, S. Curry, M. Muramoto, A. V. Prokhorov, et al. State-of-the-Art Interventions for Office-Based Parental Tobacco Control
Pediatrics,
March 1, 2005;
115(3):
750 - 760.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
R. F. Gray, A. Indurkhya, and M. C. McCormick Prevalence, Stability, and Predictors of Clinically Significant Behavior Problems in Low Birth Weight Children at 3, 5, and 8 Years of Age
Pediatrics,
September 1, 2004;
114(3):
736 - 743.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
B. Maughan, A. Taylor, A. Caspi, and T. E. Moffitt Prenatal Smoking and Early Childhood Conduct Problems: Testing Genetic and Environmental Explanations of the Association
Arch Gen Psychiatry,
August 1, 2004;
61(8):
836 - 843.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
R. E. Tremblay, D. S. Nagin, J. R. Seguin, M. Zoccolillo, P. D. Zelazo, M. Boivin, D. Perusse, and C. Japel Physical Aggression During Early Childhood: Trajectories and Predictors
Pediatrics,
July 1, 2004;
114(1):
e43 - e50.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
J. R. DiFranza, C. A. Aligne, and M. Weitzman Prenatal and Postnatal Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Children's Health
Pediatrics,
April 1, 2004;
113(4/S1):
1007 - 1015.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
W Hofhuis, J C de Jongste, and P J F M Merkus Adverse health effects of prenatal and postnatal tobacco smoke exposure on children
Arch. Dis. Child.,
December 1, 2003;
88(12):
1086 - 1090.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]
S. L. King, M. J. Marks, S. R. Grady, B. J. Caldarone, A. O. Koren, A. G. Mukhin, A. C. Collins, and M. R. Picciotto Conditional Expression in Corticothalamic Efferents Reveals a Developmental Role for Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Modulation of Passive Avoidance Behavior
J. Neurosci.,
May 1, 2003;
23(9):
3837 - 3843.
[Abstract][Full Text][PDF]