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Maternal risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: A population-based study

Author

Listed:
  • May, P.A.
  • Gossage, J.P.
  • Brooke, L.E.
  • Snell, C.L.
  • Marais, A.-S.
  • Hendricks, L.S.
  • Croxford, J.A.
  • Viljoen, D.L.

Abstract

Objectives. We defined risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in a region with the highest documented prevalence of FAS in the world. Methods. We compared mothers of 53 first-grade students with FAS (cases) with 116 randomly selected mothers of first-grade students without FAS (controls). Results. Differences between case and control mothers in our study population existed regarding socioeconomic status, religiosity, education, gravidity, parity, and marital status. Mothers of children with FAS came from alcohol-abusing families in which heavy drinking was almost universal; control mothers drank little to no alcohol. Current and past alcohol use by case mothers was characterized by heavy binge drinking on weekends, with no reduction of use during pregnancy in 87% of the mothers. Twenty percent of control mothers drank during pregnancy, a rate that declined to 12.7% by the third trimester. The percentage who smoked during pregnancy was higher for case mothers than for control mothers (75.5% vs 30.3%), but the number of cigarettes smoked was low among case mothers. The incidence of FAS in offspring of relatively young women (28 years) was not explained by early drinking onset or years of drinking (mean, 7.6 years among case mothers). In addition to traditional FAS risk factors, case mothers were smaller in height, weight, head circumference, and body mass index, all anthropomorphic measures that indicate poor nutrition and second-generation fetal alcohol exposure. Conclusions. Preventive interventions are needed to address maternal risk factors for FAS.

Suggested Citation

  • May, P.A. & Gossage, J.P. & Brooke, L.E. & Snell, C.L. & Marais, A.-S. & Hendricks, L.S. & Croxford, J.A. & Viljoen, D.L., 2005. "Maternal risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: A population-based study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(7), pages 1190-1199.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2003.037093_3
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2003.037093
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    Cited by:

    1. Manuela Pfinder, 2014. "Anthropometric and Health-Related Behavioral Factors in the Explanation of Social Inequalities in Low Birth Weight in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Morojele, Neo K. & London, Leslie & Olorunju, Steve A. & Matjila, Maila J. & Davids, Adlai S. & Rendall-Mkosi, Kirstie M., 2010. "Predictors of risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies among women in an urban and a rural area of South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 534-542, February.
    3. Marlene M. De Vries & Belinda Joubert & Marise Cloete & Sumien Roux & Beth A. Baca & Julie M. Hasken & Ronel Barnard & David Buckley & Wendy O. Kalberg & Cudore L. Snell & Anna-Susan Marais & Soraya S, 2015. "Indicated Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in South Africa: Effectiveness of Case Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. J. Phillip Gossage & Cudore L. Snell & Charles D. H. Parry & Anna-Susan Marais & Ronel Barnard & Marlene De Vries & Jason Blankenship & Soraya Seedat & Julie M. Hasken & Philip A. May, 2014. "Alcohol Use, Working Conditions, Job Benefits, and the Legacy of the “Dop” System among Farm Workers in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: Hope Despite High Levels of Risky Drinking," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-19, July.
    5. Philip A. May & Marlene M. De Vries & Anna-Susan Marais & Wendy O. Kalberg & David Buckley & Colleen M. Adnams & Julie M. Hasken & Barbara Tabachnick & Luther K. Robinson & Melanie A. Manning & Heidre, 2017. "Replication of High Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevalence Rates, Child Characteristics, and Maternal Risk Factors in a Second Sample of Rural Communities in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-22, May.
    6. Philip A. May & Anna-Susan Marais & Marlene De Vries & Julie M. Hasken & Julie M. Stegall & Dixie M. Hedrick & Cudore L. Snell & Soraya Seedat & Charles D.H. Parry, 2019. "“The Dop System of Alcohol Distribution is Dead, but It’s Legacy Lives On….”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Fletcher, Olivia V. & May, Philip A. & Seedat, Soraya & Sikkema, Kathleen J. & Watt, Melissa H., 2018. "Attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy among women recruited from alcohol-serving venues in Cape Town, South Africa: A mixed-methods study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 98-106.
    8. O'Connor, Mary J. & Tomlinson, Mark & LeRoux, Ingrid M. & Stewart, Jacqueline & Greco, Erin & Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane, 2011. "Predictors of alcohol use prior to pregnancy recognition among township women in Cape Town, South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 83-90, January.

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