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Is maternal smoking during pregnancy a risk factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children?

S Milberger1, J Biederman, S V Faraone

  • 1Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|September 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is linked to a higher risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. This finding highlights the need for smoking prevention and cessation programs for women of childbearing age.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • The etiology of ADHD is complex, involving genetic and environmental factors.
  • Maternal behaviors during pregnancy are potential environmental influences on ADHD risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and the development of ADHD in offspring.
  • To determine if maternal smoking is a significant risk factor for ADHD, independent of other variables.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 140 boys diagnosed with ADHD and 120 typically developing controls (ages 6-17).
  • Information on maternal smoking history was collected by blinded raters using a standardized method.
  • Statistical analyses adjusted for socioeconomic status, parental IQ, and parental ADHD status.

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD were significantly more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy (22%) compared to controls (8%).
  • This association remained statistically significant after controlling for confounding factors.
  • Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy had lower average IQ scores compared to those whose mothers did not smoke.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy is identified as a potential risk factor for ADHD.
  • These findings underscore the importance of smoking prevention for expectant mothers and women of childbearing age.
  • Further research is needed to confirm these results and inform public health interventions.
Abstract

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