AN ALARMING new revelation from researchers at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA, brings crucial awareness to the effects of alcohol exposure in early pregnancy. Researchers have identified that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to subtle changes in babies’ prenatal development.
Using correlation and multivariable regression analysis, data was analysed from three prospective studies, over a period of 10 years, comprised of 281 subjects: 125 with prenatal alcohol exposure, and 156 without prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol-related measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), timeline follow-back questionnaires (covering the periconceptional period, mid-gestation, and late gestation), and biomarkers. The AUDIT is a widely used screening tool, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), and utilised to detect abnormal drinking patterns in individuals. It asks the subject several questions, focusing on the frequency of alcohol consumption, symptoms of alcohol dependence, and any negative effects observed in personal life from excessive drinking.
The quantity of alcohol consumption was determined by two measures: the absolute alcohol per day and per drinking day. The number of binge episodes, and maximum number of drinks in a 24-hour period were also estimated. Perinatal development and the primary outcome were determined by gestational age and anthropometric measures.
Results found that the average alcohol consumption across the periconceptional period and pregnancy was 0.37 oz ±0.74 absolute alcohol/day (approximately five drinks per week). After adjusting for tobacco co-exposure and sociodemographic characteristics, notable associations between all alcohol measures and gestational age at delivery were observed, including cumulative measures of the absolute alcohol per day (β: 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.98; -0.17) and per drinking day (β: -0.58; 95% CI: -0.90; -0.26) during pregnancy and the periconceptional period. Moreover, a connection was identified between the maximum number of drinks in a 24-hour period and birth length percentile (β: -0.70; 95% CI: -1.36; -0.04) in the final model.
These findings act as a warning for expectant mothers, highlighting the potential negative effects of alcohol intake in prenatal care.
