Baseline measures of fatty acid ethyl esters in hair of neonates born to abstaining or mild social drinking mothers

Elevated levels of fatty acid ethyl esters have been documented in the meconium of neonates born to heavily drinking mothers. Recently, accumulation of FAEE has been documented in the hair of drinking adults. To be able to use this test in the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, one needs to establish baseline FAEE levels in infants born to nonalcoholic women because ethanol occurs in the baby naturally even without drinking. Scalp hair of 56 infants born to nonalcoholic women attending a well-baby clinic was obtained. Levels of FAEE were measured by GC-MS. FAEE were detected in almost all hair samples. Offspring of women admitting to mild, infrequent drinking did not differ in FAEE hair levels from infants of total abstainers. Baseline levels of FAEE in neonatal hair of nonalcoholic mothers have been established. Mild infrequent maternal drinking does not elevate these baseline levels. This may help avoid false-positive determinations when assessing infants born to problem drinking mothers.