Maternal alcohol use increases the risk of newborn infectionsJune 15, 2005Alcohol abuse is well known to increase the risk of infections in adults. - Newborn infants whose mothers reported alcohol use, excessive drinking or smoking during pregnancy were more likely to be diagnosed with an infection than those whose mothers did not. Despite public-information campaigns and physician advice about alcohol consumption during pregnancy, between 15 and 25 percent of pregnant women continue to drink each month, and five to 10 out of 1,000 pregnant women drink an average of seven or more drinks per week. Most research on the damaging effects of fetal alcohol exposure has been on the developing brain. A study in the June issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has found that drinking during pregnancy can also increase the risk of infection in newborns. "Despite the well-publicized risks, there continues to be a significant number of women who drink during pregnancy," said Theresa Gauthier, assistant professor of pediatrics and attending neonatologist at Emory University, and corresponding author for the study. "Some studies say up to 35 percent of premature births involve women who drink during pregnancy. Furthermore, about 50 percent of women drink prior to realizing they are pregnant." "The population that is in most danger of alcohol and smoking effects on the fetus are women with a low income who are poorly educated," said Thomas Jerrells, professor of pathology and microbiology at the University of Nebraska. "Public-information campaigns are either not understood or ignored. It is also likely that many of these women do not receive the prenatal care that would be appropriate and may only see a doctor when the baby is delivered. This is compounded by the well-known underestimation of alcohol consumption by individuals in studies of alcohol effects." "Alcohol abuse is well known to increase the risk of infections in adults," added Gauthier. "The major focus of the damaging effects of fetal alcohol exposure, however, has been on the effects of alcohol to the developing brain. Since the entire developing fetus is exposed to alcohol in utero, other organ systems, including the immune system and the lungs, are similarly exposed to alcohol but the risks to these systems have not been similarly identified. Therefore, we investigated the risk of infection using an existing database which identified and examined alcohol-exposed pregnancies." Researchers examined data gathered from 872 women who delivered single infants at 36 to 42 weeks of gestation at two large delivery hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia between February 1993 and December 1994. Following delivery, mothers were asked about alcohol and tobacco use in the three months prior to conception, and during the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy. Information, including gender, gestational age, and size relative to gestational age, was also collected about their infants. "Of the 872 term infants, 5.8 percent or 51 infants had newborn infections diagnosed after delivery," said Gauthier. "Mothers who reported alcohol use, excessive drinking or smoking in pregnancy were more likely to have a newborn diagnosed with an infection than were mothers who reported abstaining from alcohol or cigarettes. Once we controlled for low maternal income, smoking, and for the baby being smaller than it should be, excessive alcohol use, especially during the second trimester, increased the risk of newborn infection by more than three times relative to babies whose mothers reported not drinking alcohol in the second trimester." However, she added, although the greatest risk of infection occurred with excessive drinking during the second trimester, further research is needed to determine if drinking at this particular time is more damaging than at others. Maternal smoking at any time point before and during pregnancy also increased the risk of infection. "Furthermore, there was a significant association between maternal smoking and drinking," said Gauthier. "In other words, many of the women who were drinking alcohol during pregnancy were also smoking as well. Previous studies have suggested an increased risk of infection in the newborn exposed to smoking, as well as infectious carriage of organisms in pregnant women who smoke. Therefore, the concurrent abuse of both alcohol and smoking in the mother may synergistically affect the developing immune system. However, our data suggest that maternal alcohol use increases the risk of newborn infections even if she did not smoke. More studies are needed to identify the mechanisms behind these potential risks, and if the combination of smoking and alcohol synergistically increases the risk." Both Gauthier and Jerrells hope that these findings will motivate further research on the effects of maternal alcohol consumption on developing organ systems in both the term and premature newborn, as well as the combined effects of alcohol consumption and smoking on the newborn. "It remains unknown how even a small amount of alcohol exposure can affect the newborn infant in terms of infection, particularly before or early in the pregnancy," said Gauthier. "Therefore, all women of child-bearing age, including teenagers, must recognize that drinking alcohol before or during the time when they may become pregnant is dangerous for themselves as well as their baby." Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Alcohol Use Current Events and Alcohol Use News Articles Athletes on performance enhancers more likely to abuse alcohol, other drugs College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Taking medicine for HIV proves hard to swallow for many people Highly active antiretroviral therapy has increased the longevity and quality of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus. But it requires strict adherence in taking the medicine, something that is extremely difficult for many individuals to do. Concern over alcohol use among UK South Asians Alcohol use in South Asians in the UK is under-recognised, and alcohol related harm is disproportionately high, warn researchers in an editorial published on bmj.com today. Substance abuse diagnostic test for teens can also predict high risk sexual behavior Alcohol and drug use are known contributors to adolescents engaging in dangerous sexual activity; leading to substantial health risks such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted illnesses, drug overdoses and alcohol poisonings. Nation's leading experts on substance abuse outline new research agenda With substance abuse now accounting for one in 14 hospital admissions and generating billions in health care costs, leading scientists held a briefing on Capitol Hill today to present the evidence that we already have and the evidence we need in treating and preventing the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Smoking during pregnancy puts children at risk of psychotic symptoms Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of developing psychotic symptoms in their teenage years. Researchers develop an integrated treatment for veterans with chronic pain and posttraumatic stress The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers evacuated to the United States for comprehensive care for physical and psychological trauma. Working too much can be dangerous for teen's sexual health Allowing teens to work too many hours in the wrong environment can be dangerous for their sexual health by fostering conditions that lead them to older sex partners, a new study shows. Moving to the US increases cancer risk for Hispanics Results of a new study confirm trends that different Hispanic population groups have higher incidence rates of certain cancers and worse cancer outcomes if they live in the United States, than they do if they live in their homelands. Poor sleep in children may have prenatal origins A study in the Aug.1 issue of the journal SLEEP found that alcohol consumption during pregnancy and small body size at birth predict poorer sleep and higher risk of sleep disturbances in 8-year-old children born at term. More Alcohol Use Current Events and Alcohol Use News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||