title: The role of prenatal alcohol exposure in abruptio placentae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between preconception and prenatal alcohol use and abruptio placentae.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study of women with the clinical diagnosis of abruptio placentae, 65 cases.and 66 controls, at Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Western Cape, South Africa. Women in whom a retroplacental blood clot, covering at least 15% of the placental surface, was found at delivery at 24 weeks' gestation or later were asked to complete a timeline follow-back questionnaire to determine their alcohol intake 12 and 3 months before and during pregnancy. The same questionnaire was administered to a control group of high-risk women who had no antepartum haemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who drank alcohol 12 months before conception were more than 4 times more likely to develop abruptio placentae than the control group (odds ratio (OR) 4.49, p=0.00009). Women who drank alcohol 3 months prior to conception were 3 times more likely to develop abruptio placentae than the control group (OR 3.06, p=0.003). Drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy carried a more than 3 times greater risk of developing abruptio placentae (OR 3.52, p=0.0006). In the study group, women consumed a mean of 13.6, 12.0 and 11.2 standard drinks in a typical week at 12 and 3 months before and during pregnancy, respectively. The study group demonstrated a binge-drinking pattern, with two to four sessions per month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An association was found between preconception and prenatal consumption of alcohol and abruptio placentae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics AND Gyneacology, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Tygerberg, W Cape.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Du Toit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Odendaal
mesh_terms: D000037:Abruptio Placentae / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology