Document Detail


Impact of alcohol exposure after pregnancy recognition on ultrasonographic fetal growth measures.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16634859     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: More than 3 decades after Jones and Smith (1973) reported on the devastation caused by alcohol exposure on fetal development, the rates of heavy drinking during pregnancy remain relatively unchanged. Early identification of fetal alcohol exposure and maternal abstinence led to better infant outcomes. This study examined the utility of biometry for detecting alcohol-related fetal growth impairment. METHODS: We obtained fetal ultrasound measures from routine ultrasound examinations for 167 pregnant hazardous drinkers who were enrolled in a brief alcohol intervention study. The fetal measures for women who quit after learning of their pregnancies were compared with measures for women who continued some drinking throughout the course of their pregnancies. Because intensity of alcohol consumption is associated with poorer fetal outcomes, separate analyses were conducted for the heavy (average of >or=5 drinks per drinking day) alcohol consumers. Fetal measures from the heavy-exposed fetuses were also compared with measures from a nondrinking group that was representative of normal, uncomplicated pregnancies from our clinics. Analyses of covariance were used to determine whether there were differences between groups after controlling for influences of gestational age and drug abuse. RESULTS: Nearly half of the pregnant drinkers abstained after learning of their pregnancies. When women reportedly quit drinking early in their pregnancies, fetal growth measures were not significantly different from a non-alcohol-exposed group, regardless of prior drinking patterns. Any alcohol consumption postpregnancy recognition among the heavy drinkers resulted in reduced cerebellar growth as well as decreased cranial to body growth in comparison with women who either quit drinking or who were nondrinkers. Amphetamine abuse was predictive of larger cranial to body growth ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in fetal biometric measurements were observed among the heavy drinkers only when they continued drinking after becoming aware of their pregnancies. Although the reliance on self-reported drinking is a limitation in this study, these findings support the benefits of early abstinence and the potential for ultrasound examinations in the detection of fetal alcohol effects.
Authors:
Nancy S Handmaker; William F Rayburn; Chen Meng; Jordan B Bell; Brittany B Rayburn; Valerie J Rappaport
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research     Volume:  30     ISSN:  0145-6008     ISO Abbreviation:  Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res.     Publication Date:  2006 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2006-04-25     Completed Date:  2006-10-05     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7707242     Medline TA:  Alcohol Clin Exp Res     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  892-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Abuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA. nshand@unm.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects
Amphetamine-Related Disorders / complications
Cerebellum / drug effects,  embryology
Ethanol / administration & dosage,  adverse effects*
Female
Fetal Development / drug effects*
Humans
Maternal-Fetal Exchange*
Pregnancy
Ultrasonography, Prenatal*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
AA12491/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
64-17-5/Ethanol

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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