OC182: Can prenatal ultrasound detect the effects of in‐utero alcohol exposure?

Abstract

Objectives: To develop ultrasound parameters for the early detection of alcohol-mediated fetal somatic and CNS maldevelopment. Maternal alcohol ingestion during pregnancy may lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) which encompasses a broad range of structural abnormalities including growth impairment, cardiac and CNS abnormalities. Developmental and behavioral abnormalities parallel such structural defects. Early detection of fetuses at risk of FASD would allow earlier interventions. Methods: We performed a longitudinal prospective study from 2004 to 2006 in two sites in Ukraine. Women were screened for alcohol use using TWEAK and AUDIT questionnaires. We compared the fetuses of pregnant women with moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy to those of women who drank little or no alcohol. Ultrasound evaluation of growth and specific measurements of intracranial structures including occipital frontal diameter (OFD), transverse cerebellar diameter (TCD), caval calvarial distance (CCD), outer orbital diameter (OOD), intraorbital diameter (IOD) and orbital diameter were performed during the second and third trimesters. Data from alcohol-exposed and a similar number of control fetuses were compared using ANOVA. Results: From 6745 screened subjects 84 heavy alcohol users were identified in the second trimester; 47 of these were available for comparison in the third trimester. Mothers who drank were significantly more likely to be single, use tobacco and be of lower socioeconomic status compared to controls. Significant ultrasound findings are given below, comparing exposed to control subjects using ANOVA (NS, not significant).