Prenatal alcohol exposure and physical health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood: A systematic scoping review

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) has been linked to an increased risk of long-term adverse physical health outcomes. However, research on PAE has thus far primarily focused on neurobehavioural outcomes. To address this evidence gap, we conducted a systematic scoping review to synthesise the evidence on PAE-related adverse physical health impacts.

Eligible publications were peer-reviewed articles that explored the relationship between PAE and physical health outcomes in adolescents and adults. We followed the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping manual for evidence synthesis, and results were summarised using narrative synthesis and content analysis. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE OvidSP, Embase, CINAHL, and PyscINFO) were searched (26/06/2024) and screening decisions reported in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses flow chart.

In total 852 records were identified, and after removing duplicates, 757 were screened for eligibility. The characteristics and results of 29 eligible studies are reported. These reported on the relationship between PAE and 15 physical health outcomes. The three most commonly reported physical health outcomes were ear-related (n = 11), cardiovascular (n = 13), and eye-related (n = 14). Evidence for metabolic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, musculoskeletal, immune, and genitourinary outcomes was more heterogeneous, but generally supported an association with PAE.

We have found that PAE is associated with a broader range of specific physical health conditions, across multiple body systems, than previously reported. Greater recognition of these associations may improve clinical management, and inform healthcare planning for individuals with PAE.