Effects of moderate alcohol consumption and smoking on fetal outcome.
Previous studies of the effects of moderate drinking on the outcome of pregnancy are assessed. The results of a prospective study of the association between alcohol consumption in pregnancy and birthweight, length of baby, head circumference and premature delivery are described. Consumption of more than 10 g alcohol per day in very early pregnancy or even before conception approximately doubled the risk that the infant would have a low birthweight. Cigarette smoking was also a risk factor for low birthweight. It may therefore be beneficial for women to reduce their alcohol consumption to one drink a day or less from before conception and give up smoking as well.
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000139:chemically induced; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking