title: Dose-response and time-response analysis of total fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium as a biomarker of prenatal alcohol exposure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known on how the dose and timing of exposure co-influence the cumulative concentration of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium. The objective of the study was to assess the cumulative concentration of FAEEs in meconium as a biomarker of light, moderate, or heavy prenatal alcohol exposure occurring at either first, second, or third trimesters of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  History of prenatal alcohol exposure was obtained in the 34th week of gestation from 294 pregnant women. Meconium was collected from their babies within the first 6 to 12 h after birth and examined for the presence of nine FAEEs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were identified between the cumulative levels of FAEEs in the meconium from the babies born to abstainers and those born to mothers with history of light-to-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure during their pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Light-to-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be reliably predicted by the cumulative FAEE concentrations in meconium of exposed babies. A cumulative FAEE level of >10 nmol/g would be required to consider that prenatal alcohol exposure during the second to third trimesters occurred at risky levels in the absence of reliable maternal history of ethanol exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center, Kwandong University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ho-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Jung-Yeol
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: June-Seek
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun-Kyong
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Yeon-Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Go-Un
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: E Yadira
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Velázquez-Armenta
authors.forename: Alejandro A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nava-Ocampo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016014:Linear Models; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D057566:Self Report; D013723:Teratogens; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013723:Teratogens; D000431:Ethanol