A case-control study of maternal alcohol consumption and intrauterine growth retardation
Yang, Q.; Witkiewicz, B.B.; Olney, R.S.; Liu, Y.; Davis, M.; Khoury, M.J.; Correa, A.; Erickson, J.D.
Annals of Epidemiology 11(7): 497-503
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 1047-2797 PMID: 11557182 DOI: 10.1016/s1047-2797(01)00240-xDocument Number: 256016
PURPOSE: Heavy maternal drinking during pregnancy causes fetal alcohol syndrome, but whether more moderate alcohol consumption is associated with such adverse pregnancy outcomes as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) remains controversial. METHODS: Using data from a case-control study, we examined the association between maternal alcohol consumption and risk for IUGR among 701 case and 336 control infants born during 1993-1995 in Monroe County, New York. RESULTS: Our results provide no evidence of an independent association between moderate maternal alcohol consumption (<14 drinks per week) and risk for IUGR. The risk for IUGR among heavy drinkers (gtoreq 14 drinks per week) around the time of conception was OR = 1.4 (95% CI 0.7-2.6) for IUGR ltoreq 5th percentile and OR = 1.4 (95% CI 0.7-2.8) for IUGR 5th-10th percentile. For heavy drinkers during the first trimester, the OR was 1.3 (95% CI 0.4-4.5) for IUGR ltoreq 5th percentile and OR = 1.3 (95% CI 0.4-4.8) for IUGR 5th-10th percentile. CONCLUSIONS: Since IUGR is a heterogeneous outcome with a possible multifactorial origin, further studies are needed to examine the combined effects of alcohol and other environmental and genetic factors on IUGR risk for subgroups of IUGR.