Women who binge drink in the first three months of pregnancy have an increased risk of having infants with cleft lip and cleft palate, according to findings in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

 "Some evidence exists that women who drink alcohol during pregnancy are more likely than nondrinkers to have infants with facial clefts," Dr. Lisa A. DeRoo and colleagues write, "but summarizing previous findings is hampered by different categories of drinks and time points of reference across studies."

 DeRoo, with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues investigated this topic in a study involving infants with oral clefts born between 1996 and 2001 in Norway. A total of 377 infants with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, 196 with cleft palate only, and 763 unaffected subjects were included in the study.

 Mothers completed questionnaires within a few months after delivery regarding alcohol use during the first trimester.

 Compared with non-drinkers, women who drank at least five drinks per occasion had more than a two-fold risk of having an infant with cleft lip or palate. For women who drank this amount on three or more occasions, the risk of a cleft defect tripled.

 The researchers conclude: "These data on possible further (harmful birth) effects of alcohol reinforce the public health message that women should not drink alcohol during pregnancy."

《美国流行病学期刊》日前公布的一项研究发现，在刚怀孕三个月内酗酒的女性生出“兔唇儿”的风险较大。

 丽莎•A•德鲁博士及其同事在研究报告中写道：“已有证据表明，怀孕期间喝酒的女性比不喝酒的女性生出兔唇儿的几率更高。但之前的研究所涉及的酒类不同，关键的时间点也不统一。”

 位于北卡罗莱纳州达拉莫的“全国环境健康科研所”的德鲁博士及其同事针对该问题对挪威1996年至2001年间出生的唇腭裂儿进行了一项调研。研究对象共包括377个唇裂或唇腭裂婴儿、196个单纯腭裂婴儿以及763个健全婴儿。

 这些孩子的妈妈们在产后几个月内完成了有关“怀孕最初三个月是否有过饮酒经历”的调查问卷。

 调查表明，怀孕期间一次喝酒至少五杯的妈妈生下兔唇儿的风险是没喝过酒妈妈的两倍多；而有过三次或三次以上这种经历的人生出兔唇儿的风险则为没喝过酒的三倍多。

 研究人员得出结论：“这些有关酒精导致新生儿缺陷的数据强化了这样一条公共健康信息：孕妇不宜喝酒。”