Impacto da exposição ao álcool durante a gestação sobre o baixo peso em recém-nascidos, numa maternidade de Salvador - Bahia

Abstract

Theoretical Foundation: The birth weight affects the incidence of perinatal diseases, being an indicator of newborn health. The occurrence of low birth weight is multicausal being the maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy one of the related factors. In this reasoning, Salvador (Bahia) is the third Brazilian capital regarding the abuse of alcohol consumption among women, and this increases the risk of fetal exposure in a possible pregnancy. Objectives: To evaluate the association between maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy and the frequency of low birth weight, to compare the prevalence of alcohol consumption among mothers of newborns with low birth weight and with adequate weight at birth and to evaluate the presence of potential confounders in this association. Method: This is an unpaired case-control study, performed at the Maternidade Climério de Oliveira da Universidade Federal da Bahia, in Salvador - Bahia starting from October 2017 until August 2018. The data are related to 116 newborns, divided into groups of children with low birth weight and a group with appropriate weight. Results: Through the analysis of crude OR the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women is related to a greater chance of low birthweight (OR=1.41), but without statistical significance (p=0.4335). However, when considering potential confounding factors, there was no association between alcohol use and low birthweight (OD=1.08). The variables that were related to low birth weight were: few prenatal consultations (OR= 2.31), high maternal education (OR= 0, 61) and mothers from the countryside (OR = 2.00). However, all without statistical significance. On the other hand, the variables primiparity, age and marital status, maternal gestational age and sex of the newborn showed no association with low birth weight. Conclusion: In this study, there was an association between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and low birth weight only in simple model, which did not remain in the adjusted model. Thus, other studies with larger sample are needed to better clarify this issue of great impact on public health.