OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between alcohol abuse during gestation
and low birth weight. METHODS: Cross-sectional, population-based nested study from a cohort of 957 pregnant women who received prenatal assistance through Sistema
Único de Saúde (National Health System) in the city of Pelotas, Southern
Brazil, and delivered their babies between September 2007 and September 2008. The mothers were interviewed at two distinct moments: prenatal and postpartum periods. In order to verify alcohol abuse, the CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed by criticism, Guilty and Eye-opener) scale was used. Bivariate
analyses were carried out, as well as multiple logistic regression adjusted by
the variables prematurity and alcohol abuse. The level of signifi cance that
was adopted was 95%. RESULTS: Of the women who participated in the study, 2.1% abused alcohol during pregnancy and, among these, 26.3% had low birth weight children.
There was an association between alcohol abuse and low birth weight
(p<0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The fi ndings indicate that alcohol abuse during pregnancy
is associated with low birth weight
