Results of heavy drinking in pregnancy

The outcome of pregnancy is reported for 23 women who had been drinking alcohol heavily and who were delivered in Belfast maternity hospitals during the last 4 years. Twenty-one (91%) of the babies were small-for-gestational age and many had head circumference measurements less than 5th centile. Ten babies (44%) had abnormal facies consistent with the 'fetal alcohol syndrome' and 10 babies had congenital malformations of the heart, palate, genitalia and kidneys. Perinatal problems which included breech presentation, birth asphyxia, hypoglycaemia, polycythaemia, hypocalcaemia and withdrawal symptoms were frequently present. Most of the babies have shown delayed postnatal growth and six of the ten who are aged over 1 year have delayed development.