Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Risk of Depression in Offspring: a Meta-Analysis

Table 3

Results of subgroup analyses.

Study characteristics	Datasets number	OR (95% CI)	I^2 (%)	for subgroup effect	for subgroup difference
Study design
Retrospective	6	2.33 [1.51, 3.58]	31	<0.001
Prospective	2	2.20 [1.19, 4.05]	0	0.01	0.88
Timing of PAE evaluation
Within 1 year after delivery	4	2.57 [1.57, 4.19]	0	<0.001
More than 1 year after delivery	4	2.02 [1.22, 3.35]	42	0.007	0.50
Average age at depression diagnosis
Within 12 years	4	3.99 [2.11, 7.55]	0	<0.001
More than 12 years	4	1.79 [1.17, 2.73]	0	0.007	0.04
Adjustment of maternal smoking
Yes	4	2.64 [1.65, 4.22]	0	<0.001
No	4	1.90 [1.12, 3.24]	42	0.02	0.37
Adjustment of maternal depression
Yes	4	1.88 [1.22, 2.89]	14	0.004
No	4	3.39 [1.83, 6.25]	0	<0.001	0.12
Quality score
6–7	5	2.22 [1.37, 3.60]	43	0.001
8–9	3	2.36 [1.41, 3.95]	0	0.001	0.87

OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; PAE, prenatal alcohol exposure.