Do maternal habits echo into YOUth?: Using 3D-ultrasound to show the intermediating role of the fetal brain

Abstract

The main aim of this thesis was to evaluate the influence of maternal life style habits during pregnancy on the neurodevelopment of the child. In the first part, the reproducibility of fetal brain structure volume measurements in 3D-ultrasound images was determined to provide a reliable tool for the assessment of fetal brain development. The methods for measurement of intracranial, cerebellar and frontal lobe volume, described in this thesis, were shown to be reproducible. In the second part, the impact of prenatal exposure to caffeine, smoking and alcohol on fetal brain development and on childhood cognition and behavior was investigated. A review of the literature showed an association between prenatal exposure to high amounts of caffeine and lower brain weight at birth in rats and an association between maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and lower IQ or more behavioral problems at childhood age in human studies. Following this review, the impact of prenatal exposure to caffeine on intracranial, cerebellar and frontal lobe volume at around 20 and 30 weeks of gestation was investigated in an exploratory, whereby a nonsignificant trend was found suggesting that intrauterine caffeine exposure might reduce brain structure volumes. The impact of maternal smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy on behavioral outcomes was evaluated in a meta-analysis, which showed an association of maternal smoking during pregnancy with an increased risk of hyperactive behavior and possibly emotional and conduct problems. The effect of prenatal exposure to low to moderate amounts of alcohol on childhood behavior remains unclear.