Abstract

MESQUITA, Maria dos Anjos  and  SEGRE, Conceição Aparecida de Mattos. Frequency of alcohol effects in fetus and pattern of alcohol consumption by pregnant women at a public maternity hospital in São Paulo city, Brazil. Rev. bras. crescimento desenvolv. hum. [online]. 2009, vol.19, n.1, pp. 63-77. ISSN 0104-1282.

OBJETIVE: to evaluate the frequency of alcohol effects in fetus and the pattern of alcohol consumption by pregnant women of a public maternity hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. METHOD: one thousand sixty four live newborns were evaluated and their mothers interviewed by direct questions and by T-ACE questionnaire. The weekly intake of alcohol by pregnant women was quantified in the previous three months and during the gestation, and the physical characteristics of newborns compared with the consumption pattern. The Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient were used. The significant level of 5% was adopted. RESULTS: in 76 children (38.69/1000 live births) the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders was identified. Three children (1.52/1000 live births) presented fetal alcohol syndrome. In the previous three months of pregnancy, 43.90% pregnant women consumed alcohol weekly. During the gestation the numbers decreased to 21.20% in first trimester, 17.50% in the second and 17.10% in the third and 33.29% of pregnant women reported drinking alcohol at some time during pregnancy. The T-ACE questionnaire was positive in 31.11% pregnant women and negative in 68.84%. The amount of alcohol consumption during the first six months of gestation was related to lower the weight, head circumference and length of newborns. These measures did not present significant differences between pregnant women T-ACE positive and negative. CONCLUSION: seventy six newborns with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders were found. The frequency of alcohol use by pregnant women was high and suggests the routine follow-up of the alcohol consume during pregnancy.

Keywords : newborn; pregnant women; alcohol; fetal alcohol syndrome; alcohol-related disorders.

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