Alcohol Intake In Pregnancy Research Articles

Alcohol per capita and prevalence of alcohol exposed pregnancies: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Alcohol is a teratogen that crosses the placenta. While studies have estimated the global burden of alcohol use in pregnancy, reliable and valid data on alcohol consumption during pregnancy in many countries is lacking. Alcohol consumption per capita (APC) data are available worldwide. This systematic review, by investigating the association between APC and alcohol consumption in pregnancy by country, aims to evaluate the accuracy of using APC data to predict the prevalence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Methods This study combines studies identified in a systematic review by Popova et al. 2017 and a systematic search of MEDLINE from 2015 through 6th October 2022, to identify additional papers. Papers identified in either search were on the prevalence of PAE or fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Two authors independently screened titles, abstracts, full-text articles and performed data extraction and quality assessment. APC data,per country, by year, was obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) website. A meta-analysis, assuming a random effects model will be performed. Sensitivity analyses, including restricting by population, timing of exposure, time and method of ascertainment of alcohol consumption will be carried out. Results Of 24,935 PAE and 12,231 FAS prevalence articles identified, 400 PAE studies and 77 FAS studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies represent data from 1959-2020 from all 6 WHO regions, with APC between 0.012-14.78. Preliminary analysis suggests a statistically significant correlation between prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and APC. Conclusions Preliminary results from this study suggest that publicly available data on APC can be used to predict the population-based prevalence of alcohol use in pregnancy in different countries. Effective policies and interventions are required to reduce APC and thus, alcohol use in pregnancy and associated detrimental child health outcomes around the globe. Key messages • Knowing the prevalence of FAS and its main risk factor- prenatal alcohol use, will inform the setting of priorities for public health policy, public health initiatives, and health-care planning. • By investigating the association between alcohol intake in pregnancy and APC we will assess whether APC can predict alcohol intake in pregnancy.

Determinants of Low Birth Weight among Term Babies at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major contributor to the global burden of neonatal morbidity and mortality. It is important to identify the significant determinants of LBW, mainly among term babies, who should have achieved optimal weight gain before delivery to reduce the burden of LBW. Objectives: To determine the Prevalence of LBW among term babies delivered in a Nigerian hospital and the socio-demographic and clinical correlates of LBW. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among two hundred and twenty-seven term babies and their mothers at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro (SHHL), Abeokuta, Nigeria, between November 2017 and February 2018. Results: The Prevalence of LBW was 4.4 %. Over 90% of the mothers were educated, married and employed. There was a significant association between term-LBW and maternal booking BMI, anaemia at booking, multiple pregnancies, alcohol intake in pregnancy and paternal level of education. Underweight booking BMI, anaemia at booking, and low paternal level of education were independent predictors of term-LBW. Conclusions: The Prevalence of term-LBW babies in this study was relatively low. Aside from multiple pregnancies, the other main determinants of LBW include modifiable parental socioeconomic factors. Further reduction in term LBW can be achieved by improving parental education and enhancing maternal health through pre-conception care.

Prenatal Alcohol Intake and Knowledge of its Effect: A Survey of Pregnant Women Attending a General Hospital in South East, Nigeria

Background: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a major public health concern due to its noxious effect on both the mother and fetus. Aim: The study aim was to determine the prevalence of prenatal alcohol intake, knowledge of its effects, and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic, Poly General Hospital, Enugu. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was adopted and simple random sampling was employed to select 248 pregnant women from the total population. Data were obtained using structured questionnaires, summarized using descriptive statistics, and presented in tables. Statistical analysis for associations between level of educational attainment, occupation of the pregnant woman, and knowledge of the effects of alcohol consumption was performed using Chi-square tests. Results: The prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy was 40.3% with beer (48.8%) and palm wine (48.8%) being the major alcoholic beverages taken. Majority (59.7%) of the participants had good knowledge of the effects of alcohol consumption in pregnancy while less than half (33.9%) had good knowledge of the effect on the unborn baby. Previous drinking habits before pregnancy (3.48 ± 0.84) and unwanted pregnancy (3.17 ± 0.93) were the major perceived factor influencing their alcohol intake. Educational level was not significantly related to knowledge of alcohol effects on pregnancy. Conclusion: Regardless of the knowledge of the harmful effect of alcohol on the fetus and maternal health, a significant proportion of mothers continue to consume alcohol during pregnancy. Therefore, there is a need for widespread education of women of childbearing age focused on driving behavioural change with regards to alcohol intake in pregnancy.

1241Alcohol and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a negative control analysis

Abstract Background Alcohol increases blood pressure, yet estimates of its association with pre-eclampsia range from positive to negative. Here we estimated the association of maternal drinking during pregnancy with preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, separately and jointly as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). We also used partner’s alcohol intake as a negative control exposure to strengthen causal inference. Methods We used data on self-reported alcohol intake in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC, N∼9,000). HDP was ascertained from obstetric notes. Multivariable multinomial regression models were adjusted for confounders and mutually-adjusted for partner’s or maternal alcohol. Sensitivity analyses assessed the robustness of results to assumptions of no selection bias, no reporting bias, and no residual confounding (e.g. comparing estimates for beer and wine separately, which have different socioeconomic patterning). Results In mutually-adjusted analyses, maternal and partner’s drinking were associated with decreased HDP odds (OR(95% CI): 0.86(0.77–0.96) and 0.82(0.70-0.97)) respectively. In contrast, the negative control design confirmed the expected associations for maternal but not partner’s smoking (figure), demonstrating the validity of this approach. Multiple sensitivity analyses did not alter results. Estimates were more extreme for increasing levels of wine compared to increasing levels of beer drinking. Conclusions Our extensive negative control and sensitivity analyses point at confounding mechanisms shared between mothers and partners as the most plausible explanation for the alcohol-HDP association. Key messages It is unlikely that alcohol intake in pregnancy reduces the risk of HDP.

Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, smoking in pregnancy, and alcohol intake in pregnancy in relation to pubertal timing in the children

BackgroundEarlier pubertal timing has been observed in many countries. We aimed to explore if prenatal exposure to maternal obesity, smoking, and alcohol intake was associated with timing of puberty by use of a novel marker of pubertal timing: ‘the height difference in standard deviations’ (HD:SDS).MethodsHD:SDS is the difference between pubertal height in standard deviations and adult height in standard deviations, and it correlates well with age at peak height velocity. Pubertal height was measured by health care professionals at approximately 13 years in boys and 11 years in girls, and the children’s adult height was predicted from parental height reported by the mothers during pregnancy. Information on HD:SDS was available for 42,849 of 56,641 eligible boys and girls from the Danish National Birth Cohort born 2000–2003. In a subsample, HD:SDS was validated against age at the following self-reported pubertal milestones: Tanner stages, menarche, first ejaculation, voice break, acne, and axillary hair. Prenatal exposures were reported by mothers during pregnancy.ResultsHD:SDS correlated moderately with the pubertal milestones considered (correlation coefficients: − 0.20 to − 0.53). With normal weight (body mass index (BMI): 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) as the reference, maternal pre-pregnancy obesity (BMI: 30.0+ kg/m2) was associated with earlier pubertal timing: 0.23 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 0.28) higher HD:SDS in boys and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.14, 0.24) higher HD:SDS in girls. Maternal smoking was not associated with pubertal timing. Compared to alcohol abstainers, maternal intake of > 3 units of alcohol weekly was associated with later puberty in boys only: 0.14 (95% CI, 0.05, 0.24) lower HD:SDS.ConclusionAs correlations between HD:SDS and the considered pubertal milestones were comparable to those reported in the literature between age a peak height velocity and the considered pubertal milestones, the validity of HD:SDS seems acceptable. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with earlier pubertal timing in both sexes, and maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy was associated with later pubertal timing in boys. Maternal smoking has been linked to earlier timing of puberty, but this was not replicated in our setting using HD:SDS as a marker of pubertal timing.

Alcohol intake during pregnancy among parturients in southern Brazil

Abstract Objectives: to assess alcohol intake prevalence and identify associated factors among pregnant women in the municipality of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Methods: this was a crosssectional study which included all parturient women residing in the municipality who gave birth in 2013. Two outcomes were characterized: alcohol intake during pregnancy and excessive alcohol intake during pregnancy. In the analysis, proportions were tested using the Chisquare test, whilst Poisson regression was used in the multivariate analysis. Results: 9.4% (CI95%= 8.210.5) of the 2,685 parturient women studied reported having consumed alcohol during pregnancy, with beer being most common beverage. Following adjustment, the factors associated with alcohol intake in pregnancy were: age ≥30 years, brown skin colour, living without a partner, low schooling, tobacco smoking and illicit drug use, having had more children and late onset of prenatal care. Excessive alcohol intake was found in 12.7% (CI95%= 8.616.9) of those who reported drinking during pregnancy and the factors associated with this practice were age ≥30 years, lower schooling and illicit drug use. Conclusions: this study found high alcohol intake during the gestation period and identified women more susceptible to this practice. There is an evident need for health professionals to work on preventing and handling alcohol intake among pregnant women in the municipality

Long-awaited pregnancy: intelligence and academic performance in offspring of infertile parents—a cohort study

To study whether fertility treatment, subfertility, or pregnancy planning are related to long-term intellectual development. Cohort study. Not applicable. A total of 5,032 singletons born from 1990 to 1992 in the Aarhus Birth Cohort were followed up to a mean age of 19years. These children were born as a result of fertility treatment (n = 210), had subfertile parents who took more than 12months before conceiving naturally (n = 334), had fertile parents who conceived naturally within 12months (n = 2,661), or had parents who reported the pregnancy as unplanned (n = 1,827). The children were followed up using questionnaires and information from Danish national registers. Parent reported school difficulties at ages 9-11years, register-based school grades at ages 16, 17, and 19years, and conscription intelligence test scores at age 19years. We found no evidence of school difficulties in childhood, impaired school performance in adolescence, or lower intelligence in young adulthood in multivariate analyses adjusted for parental age, educational level, maternal parity, before pregnancy body mass index (BMI), smoking and alcohol intake in pregnancy, cohabitation status, child gender, and age. In the longest follow-up of cognitive development of children conceived after fertility treatment or by subfertile parents conducted so far, this study did not show any association between pregnancy planning, subfertility, or fertility treatment and cognitive ability or academic performance.

Antenatal alcohol exposure: An East Anglian study of midwives' knowledge and practice

Objective: To study midwives' knowledge, practice and opinions regarding advice about fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) and alcohol intake in pregnancy. Design: A postal questionnaire was sent to 1862 midwives employed in 13 NHS Trusts in East Anglia, incorporating city and rural areas. Results: The authors received responses from 33.5% of the midwives contacted (n=624), of which 98% stated that alcohol abstinence in pregnancy would be their preferred advice, and 38% had seen an infant with FAS. Less than 2% indicated that they were ‘very prepared’ to deal with the subject. Only 10% identified all four classic features of FAS. Conclusions: More than a third of midwives had seen an infant with FAS. The advice given to pregnant mothers by participants varied. The midwives stated that they would like more information and support. Implications for practice: Expansion of midwives' knowledge should improve the quality of antenatal advice, leading to better prevention, intervention and recognition of FASD in children.

Light drinking in pregnancy is not associated with poor child mental health and learning outcomes at age 11

Commentary on: Sayal K, Draper ES, Fraser R, et al. Light drinking in pregnancy and mid-childhood mental health and learning outcomes. Arch Dis Child 2013;98:107–11.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] Health authorities in...

Alcohol Intake in Pregnancy Increases the Child's Risk of Atopic Dermatitis. The COPSAC Prospective Birth Cohort Study of a High Risk Population

BackgroundAtopic dermatitis has increased four-fold over the recent decades in developed countries, indicating that changes in environmental factors associated with lifestyle may play an important role in this epidemic. It has been proposed that alcohol consumption may be one contributing risk factor in this development.ObjectiveTo analyze the impact of alcohol intake during pregnancy on the development of atopic dermatitis during the first 7 years of life.MethodThe COPSAC cohort is a prospective, longitudinal, birth cohort study of 411 children born to mothers with a history of asthma, followed up for 7 years with scheduled visits every 6 months as well as visits for acute exacerbations of atopic dermatitis. Risk of atopic dermatitis from any alcohol consumption during pregnancy was analyzed as time-to-diagnosis and adjusted for known risk factors.Results177 of 411 children developed atopic dermatitis before age 7 years. We found a significant effect of alcohol intake during pregnancy on atopic dermatitis development (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.05–1.99 p = 0.024). This conclusion was unaffected after adjustment for smoking, mother's education and mother's atopic dermatitis.LimitationsThe selection of a high-risk cohort, with all mothers suffering from asthma, and all children having a gestational age above 35 weeks with no congenital abnormality, systemic illness, or history of mechanical ventilation or lower airway infection.ConclusionAlcohol intake by pregnant women with a history of asthma, is significantly associated with an increased risk for the child for developing atopic dermatitis during the first 7 years of life.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the risk of early stillbirth among singletons

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between maternal alcohol intake in pregnancy and the occurrence of early stillbirth using a retrospective cohort analysis of singleton births in Missouri that occurred in the period 1989 through 1997 ( N = 655,979). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to generate adjusted risk estimates for total, early, and late stillbirth associated with maternal alcohol intake and used the Robust Sandwich Estimator to adjust for intracluster correlations among sibships. Overall, a total of 3,508 counts of stillbirth were identified, yielding a stillbirth rate of 5.3 per 1,000. Among mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, the stillbirth rate was 8.3 per 1,000. Mothers who consumed alcohol while pregnant were 40% more likely to experience stillbirth as compared with nondrinking mothers (adjusted hazards ratio = 1.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.2–1.7). A dose–response relationship was evident; mothers who consumed five or more drinks per week during pregnancy experienced a 70% elevated risk of stillbirth compared with nondrinking mothers (adjusted hazards ratio = 1.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.0–3.0). The risk of early stillbirth was 80% higher among drinking mothers compared with abstainers (adjusted hazards ratio = 1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.3–2.3). The elevated risks for both early and late stillbirth did not reach statistical significance when broken down by level of alcohol intake. In conclusion, maternal drinking during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of early stillbirth. These findings underscore the need to reinforce current counseling strategies toward pregnant women and women who intend to conceive on the detrimental effects of alcohol use in pregnancy.

Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy in Nonindigenous West Australian Women

High alcohol intake in pregnancy has been linked to abnormal fetal development. There are limited published data in Australia on standard drinks of alcohol consumed on a typical occasion during the periconceptional period or pregnancy. During 1995 to 1997, a 10% random sample of all nonindigenous women giving birth in Western Australia was surveyed 12 weeks after delivery (N=4,839). Women were asked questions about alcohol consumption in each of the 4 time periods: the 3 months before pregnancy and each trimester of pregnancy. Questions were framed to measure volume, frequency, and type of alcoholic beverage. 46.7% of the women had not planned their pregnancy. Most women (79.8%) reported drinking alcohol in the 3 months before pregnancy, with 58.7% drinking alcohol in at least 1 trimester of pregnancy. The proportion of women consuming 1 to 2 drinks on a typical occasion did not change much during pregnancy, but the number of occasions declined. Although the proportion of women consuming more than 2 standard drinks on a typical occasion declined after the first trimester, 19.0% of women consumed this amount in at least 1 trimester of pregnancy and 4.3% of women consumed 5 or more standard drinks on a typical occasion in at least 1 trimester of pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, 14.8% of women drank outside the current Australian guideline for alcohol consumption in pregnancy, decreasing to 10% in the second and third trimesters. Women generally reduced their average alcohol consumption and the number of standard drinks on a typical occasion as their pregnancy progressed, although 10 to 14% were drinking outside current guidelines for pregnancy. It is important that all women of child-bearing age are aware, well before they consider pregnancy, of the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy so they can make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption in pregnancy.

Moderate alcohol intake in pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion.

Women attending routine antenatal care at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, from 1989 to 1996 were eligible for this cohort study on the association between alcohol intake in pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion. We included 24 679 singleton pregnancies in the study. We used Cox regression analyses with delayed entry for the analyses. We found an increased risk of spontaneous abortion in the first trimester (7-11 completed weeks of gestation) for women consuming > or =5 drinks/week. We found no association between alcohol intake and spontaneous abortion during the second trimester. Common methodological problems in relation to studies on spontaneous abortions are discussed, as are problems with possible under-reporting of alcohol consumption. We conclude that women consuming > or =5 drinks/week are at increased risk of first trimester spontaneous abortion.

Self reported alcohol intake in pregnancy: comparison between four methods

STUDY OBJECTIVETo assess the agreement between four different measures of alcohol intake in pregnancy.DESIGN AND SETTINGDanish speaking pregnant women referred to the Midwife Centre in Aarhus, Denmark, for routine antenatal...

Alcohol intake in pregnancy and the chance of survival up to the age of one year

International Journal of Gynecology & ObstetricsVolume 70, Issue S2 p. B90-B90 Pregnancy-related complication Alcohol intake in pregnancy and the chance of survival up to the age of one year U. Kesmodell, U. KesmodellSearch for more papers by this authorK. Wisborg, K. WisborgSearch for more papers by this authorS.F. Olsen, S.F. OlsenSearch for more papers by this authorT.B. Henriksen, T.B. HenriksenSearch for more papers by this authorN.J. Secher, N.J. SecherSearch for more papers by this author U. Kesmodell, U. KesmodellSearch for more papers by this authorK. Wisborg, K. WisborgSearch for more papers by this authorS.F. Olsen, S.F. OlsenSearch for more papers by this authorT.B. Henriksen, T.B. HenriksenSearch for more papers by this authorN.J. Secher, N.J. SecherSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 December 2003 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7292(00)85214-5AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume70, IssueS22000Pages B90-B90 RelatedInformation

Is moderate alcohol intake in pregnancy associated with the craniofacial features related to the fetal alcohol syndrome?

Social drinking in pregnancy is common in many countries despite the fact that alcohol in high doses has teratogenic properties. The public health implications would be appreciable if even moderate alcohol consumption were associated with embryonal or fetal maldevelopment. A presumably sensitive marker of an alcohol effect was used in this study, namely the fetal craniofacial features included in the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The study was based upon self-reported alcohol intake and photographs taken at birth or at 18 months of children born to mothers with a low or moderate alcohol intake during pregnancy. These women were selected during pregnancy by a two-stage sampling from all in well defined regions. Data were available concerning 323 pregnant women and some 200 to 220 children. A short palpebral fissure, a short nose to upper-lip distance and a broad root of the nose were expected to be associated with alcohol intake in early pregnancy, but such an association was only seen between binge drinking and a short palpebral fissure. No associations proved statistically significant at the 18-month examination and any association could merely be secondary to the known association between alcohol and birth weight.

Effects of moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy on child development at 18 and 42 months.

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between moderate alcohol consumption in pregnancy and child development to the age of 3.5 years. Furthermore, the aim was to compare development indices at 18 and 42 months of age. This study is an extension of the Danish participation in the EuroMac study. In a two-stage sampling, pregnant women in a well-defined region (Odense, Denmark) were recruited to a follow-up study according to their reported drinking habits in the first trimester of pregnancy. All among 2880 pregnant women who reported an alcohol consumption early in pregnancy (12th week of gestation) of at least 5 drinks/week were ascertained (164 women). A similar age and expected time of delivery matched group was selected from the remaining group of pregnant women. Alcohol consumption data were based on self-reported data, and child development recording was done blindly by two psychologists at 18 and 42 months after birth. Two hundred fifty-one mother-child pairs participated in all follow-up studies. None of the reported levels of alcohol intake was statistically significantly associated with any of the child development indices (including measures of binge drinking). Comparing child development indices at 18 and 42 months did, however, reveal a rather large variation over time for alcohol exposures, as well as nonexposures. A large variation in the outcome measure will tend to mask effects of any exposures, but nevertheless it is unlikely that a low alcohol intake in pregnancy has any substantial impact on child development.

It's a woman's world - fathers' participation in smoking and drinking reduction in pregnancy

THIS paper uses an interview survey of twelve pro spective fathers to describe some of the current issues involved in encouraging fathers to help their partners to reduce smoking and drinking during pregnancy. Paternal knowledge about adverse influ ences on the fetus was vague and varied. Although half of the fathers reduced their drinking during the pregnancy, only three did so out of support for their partners. The other six fathers increased their intake. Reactions to women who did not reduce their smok ing and alcohol intake in pregnancy and general per ceptions of health education suggest a need for clear information on this topic set within a health pro motion framework.