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Head circumference at birth and exposure to tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs during early pregnancy

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Abstract

Aims

We aimed to assess the effects of exposure to tobacco smoke, alcohol and illegal drugs during early pregnancy on the head circumference (HC) at birth of otherwise healthy neonates.

Methods

A follow-up study from the first trimester of pregnancy to birth was carried out in 419 neonates. An environmental reproductive health form was used to record data of substance exposure obtained during the first obstetric visit at the end of the first trimester. A multiple linear regression model was created for this purpose.

Results

Alcohol intake during pregnancy and medical ionizing radiation exposure were the most significant predictors of HC. The mothers’ alcohol consumption increased with the mothers’ and fathers’ education level, net family income and fathers’ alcohol consumption. In contrast, maternal smoking decreased with increasing mothers’ and fathers’ education level and net family income. About 13% of the surveyed embryos were exposed to illegal drugs.

Conclusions

Mild to moderate alcohol consumption diminishes the at-birth HC of theoretically healthy newborns in a linear form. There was no threshold dose. We perceived a need for increasing the awareness, and for training, of health care professionals and parents, in regard to risks of alcohol consumption and for recommending abstinence of these substances in both parents during pregnancy. It should also be remembered that medical ionizing radiation should be performed only during the first half of the cycle in fertile women. We think that our study has an important social impact as it affords data for implementing policies for promoting “healthy pregnancies”.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Mount Sinai International Exchange Program for Minority Students for help and support. Their work was supported by grant MD001452 from the National Centre on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health. The authors wish also to express their gratitude to ARGOS NATO Project supported by the Foundation for Formation and Research (FFIS) from Murcia’s Drug Commissioner Office and the National Plan on Drugs, Ministry of Health, Spain.

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The authors state having no conflict of interest regarding the production and publication of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    Juan A. Ortega-García, Jorge E. Gutierrez-Churango, Miguel F. Sánchez-Sauco & Miguel Martínez-Aroca

  2. Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    Juan L. Delgado-Marín

  3. Department of Pediatric, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    M. Sánchez-Solis

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    J. J. Parrilla-Paricio

  5. Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    Luz Claudio

  6. Regional Service of Neurosurgery, Grupo de Investigación en Neurocirugía (GRIN), Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    Juan F. Martínez-Lage

Authors
  1. Juan A. Ortega-García
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  2. Jorge E. Gutierrez-Churango
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  5. Juan L. Delgado-Marín
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  6. M. Sánchez-Solis
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  9. Juan F. Martínez-Lage
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan A. Ortega-García.

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Ortega-García, J.A., Gutierrez-Churango, J.E., Sánchez-Sauco, M.F. et al. Head circumference at birth and exposure to tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs during early pregnancy. Childs Nerv Syst 28, 433–439 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1607-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1607-6

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