[Gamma-glutamyltransferase in maternal serum and prenatal screening for the fetal alcohol syndrome].

In order to investigate prospectively in pregnant women a correlation between serum levels of a biological marker of alcohol and the clinical status of the newborn, we measured the gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in 630 women between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. In 7% of the cases, an elevated value was observed while history confirmed alcohol consumption in only 1%. Preliminary statistical analysis established upon the blind examination of 308 newborns show a correlation between maternal GGT levels and birthweight as well as the pre- and perinatal complications. However, the sensitivity of this test is weak.