Limited Intervention Can Reduce Drinking in Pregnant Women by 40%.

TORONTO -- A very simple intervention program can reduce drinking in pregnancy by 40% and is especially effective with heavy drinkers, Dr. Janet Hankin said at the annual meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation.

"One of the reasons we had such an impact is that our personnel gave a lot of sup port. It doesn't have to be a physician giving the message," she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) may have increased by as much as sixfold since the 1980s when the surgeon general's warning and the alcohol beverage warning label were introduced; part of this increase may be a function of better reporting.

In addition, binge drinking during pregnancy may also be on the rise, according to the CDC.

"The rate of FAS, which is the most significant consequence of drinking in pregnancy, is reported as 6.7 cases per 10,000 live births. And alcohol-related effects may be as frequent as 5 per 1,000 live births," Dr. Hankin, a sociologist from Wayne State University in Detroit, said in an interview.

The study identified 92 women who drank at least 0.3 ounces of absolute al cohol per day (approximately 4 drinks per week) when they conceived their previous pregnancy.

The women were randomized to either an intervention or control group and followed for 5 years to measure the effects of intervention on ...