Smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy affects preterm infants' docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status

This study investigated the effect of alcohol consumption and smoking durin g pregnancy on the fatty acid composition of the infants. A total of 40 ver y-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, weighing between 750 and 1500g, were enr olled in the study after being hospitalized and ventilated for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Maternal and infant demographic information was re corded. Questions regarding maternal smoking (none, <10 and greater than or equal to 10 cigarettes/d) and alcohol consumption (none, occasionally, mod erate and severe) were recorded. Erythrocyte membrane (EMB; n = 40) total f atty acid analyses were performed at birth (baseline) and on days 14 and 28 postnatally. During pregnancy, 42% of mothers consumed alcohol and 50% smo ked. At birth, infants of mothers who smoked and consumed alcohol during pr egnancy, had significantly higher blood docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; p < 0.05 ) than infants, of mothers who abstained from both alcohol and smoking. The consequences of this finding remain unknown.