Comorbidities of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Pregnancy Risk Factors and Parent Mental Health

Our study examined the risk of maternal smoking and alcohol consumption in pregnancy associated with child comorbidity in a community sample of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We used a cross sectional community retrospective questionnaire of 321 children diagnosed with ADHD. Our results suggest that maternal smoking increased the risk of oppositional defiant behavior (ODB) in children with ADHD twofold (OR 2.27; CI 1.29–4.11). Maternal alcohol consumption increased the risk although not significantly for ADHD child comorbid ODB, anxiety disorder and depression. Parent mental health significantly impacted on child comorbidity. Our study suggests that smoking in pregnancy is associated with comorbid ODB, independent of parent mental health, family history of ADHD and socioeconomic factors. Parent mental health is independently associated with comorbid ODB, anxiety disorder and depression.