Exploring parental prenatal influences on child health: A multicohort study and data visualisation tool

Gemma C Sharp, Deborah A Lawlor, Kayleigh E Easey, Sampurna Kundu, Ahmed Elhakeem, Edward Hone, Rosemary R C McEachan, Maria C Magnus, Alexandra Havdahl and Caroline L Relton

PLOS Medicine, 2026, vol. 23, issue 7, 1-21

Abstract: Background: The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis suggests that early life environmental exposures, especially during pregnancy, can impact long-term health. Research has largely relied on correlational evidence and has focussed on maternal factors, with less attention given to paternal, postnatal, and broader social determinants. This focus could complicate efforts to determine the most effective strategies for improving population health. Methods and findings: Using harmonised data across four population-based longitudinal cohort studies from the UK and Norway (births between 1991 and 2008), we took a systematic approach to explore associations of parental prenatal health behaviours (smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption) and low socioeconomic position (SEP) with 72 child health-related outcomes (e.g., related to body size and composition, cognitive function, mental health, blood pressure, allergy, etc.) from birth up to age 11. Where possible, cohort estimates were meta-analysed, yielding a maximum sample size of 232,139. We triangulated evidence of causality using different analytical approaches, including a Mendelian randomisation-informed approach using genetic risk scores, negative controls (maternal versus paternal and during versus post-pregnancy comparisons), and dose–response analyses. This comprehensive set of analyses generated more than 594,000 effect estimates. We developed a web app, ‘EPoCH Explorer’ to visualise and share our results in an accessible format. We did not find strong evidence for widespread or large effects of parental health behaviours on child health and wellbeing. Only 6% of analyses had a Cohen’s D value >0.2 and FDR-adjusted P 0.2 and FDR-P

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pmed00:1005153

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1005153

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