Genetic instrumental variable studies of effects of prenatal risk factors

George L Wehby; Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder

doi:10.1080/19485565.2013.774615

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Genetic instrumental variable studies of effects of prenatal risk factors

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Genetic instrumental variable studies of effects of prenatal risk factors

George L Wehby and Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder

Biodemography and social biology, Vol.59(1), pp.4-36

2013

DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2013.774615

PMCID: PMC3690512

PMID: 23701534

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/3690512View

Open Access

Abstract

Identifying the effects of maternal risk factors during pregnancy on infant and child health is an area of tremendous research interest. However, policymakers are primarily interested in unraveling the causal effects of prenatal risk factors, not their associations with child health, which may be confounded by several unobserved factors. In this article, we evaluate the utility of genetic variants in three genes that have unequivocal evidence of being related to three major risk factors-CHRNA3 for smoking, ADH1B for alcohol use, and FTO for obesity-as instrumental variables for identifying the causal effects of such factors during pregnancy. Using two independent datasets, we find that these variants are overall predictive of the risk factors and are not systematically related to observed confounders, suggesting that they may be useful instruments. We also find some suggestive evidence that genetic effects are stronger during than before pregnancy. We provide an empirical example illustrating the use of these genetic variants as instruments to evaluate the effects of risk factors on birth weight. Finally, we offer suggestions for researchers contemplating the use of these variants as instruments.

Mental Health

Pregnancy

Body Mass Index

Smoking - adverse effects

Receptors, Nicotinic

Gene Frequency

Humans

Risk Factors

Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO

Smoking - genetics

Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects

Obesity - genetics

Alcohol Drinking - genetics

Socioeconomic Factors

Proteins

Birth Weight

Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)

Maternal Exposure - adverse effects

Female

Pregnancy Outcome - genetics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Genetic instrumental variable studies of effects of prenatal risk factors
Creators: George L Wehby - Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. george-wehby@uiowa.edu
Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Biodemography and social biology, Vol.59(1), pp.4-36
DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2013.774615
PMID: 23701534
PMCID: PMC3690512
NLM abbreviation: Biodemography Soc Biol
ISSN: 1948-5565
eISSN: 1948-5573
Publisher: United States
Grant note: 092731 / Wellcome Trust G1002345 / Medical Research Council Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council R01 DE020895 / NIDCR NIH HHS G9815508 / Medical Research Council 1 R01 DE020895 / NIDCR NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 2013
Academic Unit: Preventive and Community Dentistry; Health Management and Policy; Economics; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984064200102771

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