Abstract 15

We studied the clinical features and the circulating growth factor concentrations in infants born to women who drank alcohol during the pregnancy in amounts considered to cause fetal risk (> 48g/day). In this prospective study we identified 16 pregnant women among 1666 who were evaluated. A trained interviewer evaluated the pregnant women using a specially designed questionnaire in the clinic and home visits during prenatal care at Consultorio Maipú in Santiago. We selected a control group (CTR) of pregnant women who did not drink alcohol who were comparable in age, parity and gestational age, using the same instruments. We evaluated the infants at 1, 6 and 12 months of age with anthropometry, physical examination and measurement of growth factors. The genetics specialist found 5 patients with facies compatible with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), 5 with Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) and 6 normals. Results are shown in the Table (mean ±SD). We conclude that the prevalence of FAS (31%) and FAE (31%) in the children born to pregnant women identified with these instruments is very high. Our questionnaires and home visits allow the detection of most high risk pregnancies for fetal alcohol syndrome. We show that the facial features of the syndrome and delayed growth (height and HC) are relatively early signs of FAS. Circulating growth factor concentrations do not appear to be affected during the first year of life in these patients.

Table 1 No caption available.
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