title: Association between alcohol abuse during pregnancy and birth weight.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association between alcohol abuse during gestation and low birth weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, population-based nested study from a cohort of 957 pregnant women who received prenatal assistance through Sistema Único de Saúde (National Health System) in the city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil, and delivered their babies between September 2007 and September 2008. The mothers were interviewed at two distinct moments: prenatal and postpartum periods. In order to verify alcohol abuse, the CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed by criticism, Guilty and Eye-opener) scale was used. Bivariate analyses were carried out, as well as multiple logistic regression adjusted by the variables prematurity and alcohol abuse. The level of significance that was adopted was 95%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the women who participated in the study, 2.1% abused alcohol during pregnancy and, among these, 26.3% had low birth weight children. There was an association between alcohol abuse and low birth weight (p<0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicate that alcohol abuse during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brasil. ivelissadasilvat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ivelissa da
authors.initials: Id
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Luciana de Avila
authors.initials: Lde A
authors.lastname: Quevedo
authors.forename: Ricardo Azevedo da
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Sandro Schreiber de
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Ricardo Tavares
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001724:Birth Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors