Maternal Alcohol Consumption

Running Head: MATERNAL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Maternal Alcohol Consumption: Assessment of prevalence and effect on fetus

Caitlin Carson

University of Michigan-Flint

Running Head: MATERNAL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Abstract

The following research paper discusses the topic of alcohol consumption of pregnant women. Five peer reviewed articles focusing on this alcohol consumption were analyzed and integrated in to this paper as support of the argument that alcohol consumption during pregnancy has profound effects on the growing fetus, initially and long term. Alcohol consumption of pregnant women was broken down and analyzed by the effects of: maternal race and ethnicity, maternal socioeconomic status, and paternalistic behaviors.

Keywords: maternal, alcohol consumption

Maternal metabolic activity during pregnancy has a profound effect on the fetus, both in utero and throughout the lifespan. High fat consumption, a sedentary lifestyle, and smoking cigarettes during pregnancy have all shown to have tremendous effect on the health of the fetus but none more profound than maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. "The consequences of ethanol intake alone or combined with poor maternal nutrition appear to be severe and life-long" (Guerrini, Thomas & Gurling, 2007). This paper will discuss the following topics with regards to alcohol consumption by pregnant mothers: prevalence, immediate effects on the growing fetus, racial and ethnic differences, socioeconomic status, paternal role, and the long term effects of such maternal activity.

It is common knowledge that ethanol only produces negative effects on a growing fetus, so the prevalence of pregnant mothers participating in such activity is astounding. Brown, Olson & Croninger (2010) found the following:

With respect to alcohol use, more than 10,000 mothers… reported the following information, as indicated by percentage and response: did not drink (95.7%), <1drink per week (1.7%), 1-3 drinks per week (0.9%), 4-6 drinks per week (0.1%), 7-13 drinks per week (0.1%), 14-19 drinks per week (0%), and 20 or more drinks per week (0%) (unweighted). (p. 111)

Summarizing this data: 170 women had less than one drink per week, 90 women has 1-3 drinks per week, 10 women had 4-6 drinks per week, and 10 women had 7-13 drinks per week.; This may not look like staggering data, but when added up, that is a total of 280 fetuses whose lives could