Prenatal alcohol exposure linked to 45% higher hazardous drinking risk at 16

MedicalXpress | ماي 26, 2026

Teens who were exposed to alcohol in utero are more likely than their peers to engage in risky behaviors—most notably, hazardous drinking and underage sex, a combination that could perpetuate the intergenerational transmission of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). The UK has one of Europe's highest rates of alcohol use during pregnancy: at least 41%, potentially reaching 75%.