Work

Prenatal alcohol exposure and sonographic abnormalities: Insights from a retrospective cohort

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: CONTEXT: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most severe form of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, a major preventable cause of congenital disability. FASD lack specific prenatal ultrasound signs, making early diagnosis difficult. OBJECTIVE: To describe prenatal ultrasound findings in pregnancies with reported alcohol use and compare maternal and neonatal characteristics according to the presence of anomalies. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicentre study in three hospitals from September 2013 to April 2025. All women reporting alcohol use during pregnancy were included. Exposure was classified by quantity (moderate: ≤3 drinks/day or <40 cl/day; excessive: >3 drinks/day or >40 cl/day) and frequency (occasional, often, chronic), based on maternal self-report. Ultrasound scans from all trimesters were reviewed for growth and morphological anomalies. Comparative analyses were performed between women with and without anomalies. RESULTS: Among 94 pregnancies, 30 (32%) showed ultrasound anomalies. Women with anomalies were older (33.9 vs. 31.7 years, p <0.01), with no differences in BMI, parity, or co-exposures. Occasional alcohol use appeared not associated with anomalies, whereas increasing maternal age (aOR = 1.22; 95% CI [1.09-1.40]) was an independent risk factor. Most anomalies were detected in the second trimester, mainly foetal growth restriction (FGR) and microcephaly. Neonatal abnormalities occurred in 70% of the anomaly group versus 10.9% without anomalies (p < 0.01). Seven neonates (11%) had undiagnosed FGR or microcephaly at birth. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound anomalies were found in one-third of alcohol-exposed pregnancies, underscoring the risks of chronic alcohol use.

Source: Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction

DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2026.103124