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MecStat^SM EtOH is a test of the non-oxidative metabolites of Ethyl Alcohol called Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEE). These metabolites are the chemical combination for endogenous fatty acids present in the blood of a fetus and Ethyl Alcohol. These new compounds, which only form when the fetus is exposed to Ethyl Alcohol, are deposited into the fetus’s meconium and can then be detected and quantified from the newborn’s meconium after delivery. The amount of the Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters found in the meconium is representative of the amount of Ethyl Alcohol the fetus was exposed to during the last half of the pregnancy.

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Yes, MecStat^SM 5-, 7-, 9- and 12-drug panels can all be bundled with MecStat^SM EtOH.

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Yes and No. Many physicians know about the test from scientific publications and literature from USDTL. There are, however, many physicians that are not yet knowledgeable about the test and have never ordered it. If your local physicians don’t have the necessary information to order the test, call Client Services at 1-800-235-2367 and the scientific information will be supplied.

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Results from MecStat^SM EtOH tests give DHS personnel direct information about newborns who have been exposed to high levels of Ethyl Alcohol. Approximately 3 percent of all newborns have been exposed to high levels of alcohol and these newborns’ meconium specimens have FAEE levels greater than 10,000 ng/gram. This “red flag” level represents only one quarter of the total number of alcohol exposed newborns. Three quarters of alcohol exposed newborns were exposed to small or moderate amounts of alcohol and represent lower risks of manifesting signs and symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The newborns with FAEE levels greater than 10,000 are at higher risk for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, as well as a higher probability of living in a chaotic environment where abuse or neglect is more likely.

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NIDA (The National Institute on Drug Abuse) actually is NOT the institute that funded the original research for FAEE in meconium. It was the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) that provided USDTL with the grant funds to develop the MecStat^SM EtOH test. This test has become the de facto standard for laboratory diagnosis of fetal alcohol exposure and is in routine use all over the United States and Canada. Courts have held that MecStat^SM EtOH tests meet both the Fry and Daubert standards, and the results are admissible in adversarial proceedings.

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When ordered as MecStat^SM EtOH only, the cost is $129.00. When ordered bundled with the MecStat^SM 5-drug panel, the total cost is $149.00. For hospitals with large specimen loads, volume discounts are available.