MATERNAL USE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS DURING PREGNANCY AND BIRTH ABNORMALITIES: FURTHER RESULTS FROM A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

This paper presents an extended analysis of data produced duringa prospective study of the possible association between maternalalcohol use during pregnancy and fetal harm. This new analysisexamines the possible links between not only maternal alcoholconsumption, but also the use of tobacco, prescribed and illicitdrugs and birth abnormalities. There was no general associationbetween birth abnormalities and maternal psychoactive drug useand misuse. Even so, women who neither smoked nor consumed alcoholduring the first trimester produced offspring with significantlyfewer birth abnormalities than did those who drank heavily andsmoked cigarettes.