The Effects of Alcohol and Drugs of Abuse on Maternal Nutritional Profile during Pregnancy.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review the impact of alcohol and drug abuse on maternal and fetal nutritional status, including micronutrients like copper.
Results Summary
The abstract indicates that alcohol and drug abuse can lead to maternal malnutrition, including deficiencies in copper and other micronutrients, potentially causing fetal abnormalities like IUGR or FASD.
Population
Pregnant women with alcohol or drug abuse issues and their fetuses.
Effective Dosage
Not mentioned
Duration
Not mentioned
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
alcohol and drugs of abuse consumption | decrease | absorption of nutrients | pregnant women | - | can interfere with | #1 |
alcohol and drugs of abuse consumption | decrease | quality and quantity of proper nutrient and energy intake | pregnant women | - | impairing | #2 |
alcohol and drugs of abuse consumption | decrease | malnutrition especially of micronutrients (vitamins, omega⁻3, folic acid, zinc, choline, iron, copper, selenium) | pregnant women | - | resulting in | #3 |
compromised maternal nutritional status by alcohol and drugs of abuse | decrease | supply of essential nutrients | fetus | - | are not available | #4 |
compromised maternal nutritional status by alcohol and drugs of abuse | increase | fetal abnormalities like Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) | fetus | - | can result in | #5 |
prenatal alcohol and drugs of abuse exposure combined with poor maternal nutrition | increase | fetal physical and neurological impairment | fetus | - | result in | #6 |
The consumption of alcohol and drugs of abuse among pregnant women has experienced a significant increase in the last decades. Suitable maternal nutritional status is crucial to maintain the optimal environment for fetal development but if consumption of alcohol or drugs of abuse disrupt the intake of nutrients, the potential teratogenic effects of these substances increase. Despite evidence of the importance of nutrition in addicted pregnant women, there is a lack of information on the effects of alcohol and drugs of abuse on maternal nutritional status; so, the focus of this review was to provide an overview on the nutritional status of addicted mothers and fetuses. Alcohol and drugs consumption can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, impairing the quality and quantity of proper nutrient and energy intake, resulting in malnutrition especially of micronutrients (vitamins, omega⁻3, folic acid, zinc, choline, iron, copper, selenium). When maternal nutritional status is compromised by alcohol and drugs of abuse the supply of essential nutrients are not available for the fetus; this can result in fetal abnormalities like Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It is critical to find a strategy to reduce fetal physical and neurological impairment as a result of prenatal alcohol and drugs of abuse exposure combined with poor maternal nutrition. Prenatal nutrition interventions and target therapy are required that may reverse the development of such abnormalities.