title: Prenatal alcohol exposure and its repercussion on newborns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol consumption during pregnancy, even when moderate, implies a risk of impaired neurodevelopment, physical impairments and malformations. Its early identification is essential for establishing preventive measures to diminish disabilities among newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the frequency of consumption of substance use in pregnant women, we have used the techniques of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to detect drugs and markers of chronic consumption of alcohol in meconium. We performed a prospective study during a period of 10 months among 110 infants in our hospital, assessing anthropometry, neuromuscular development and determination of toxic substances in urine and meconium. Furthermore, meconium analysis identified fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and ethyl glucuronide (Etg). We also conducted a survey regarding the obstetric history, toxic habits, and employment status of the mothers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to early detection markers analyzed in meconium (FAEE >1000 ng/g and/or Etg >50 ng/g meconium), 34.65% of pregnant women consumed alcohol during pregnancy, and 17% were positive for both markers. Within the positive cases, 50% of those exceeding a FAEE's value of 5000 ng/g in meconium had low birth-weight children. Only 5/110 mothers (4.5%) admitted to occasional alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Nobody admitted to frequent intake. The cocaine test was positive in three cases; two of them were positive for alcohol as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As expected, many screening devices do not accurately capture use during pregnancy and supplemental methods such as meconium analysis of biomarkers of chronic alcohol consumption may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baña
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Legal, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tabernero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-Muñuzuri
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: López-Suárez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dosil
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Legal, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabarcos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Legal, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neonatología, Departamento de Pediatria, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Couce
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005965:Glucuronates; C093924:ethyl glucuronide
keywords: Alcohol consumption; ethyl glucuronide; faees; meconium; pregnancy