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Factors influencing alcohol consumption during pregnancy and after giving birth
Deborah McLeod1, Susan Pullon, Timothy Cookson
1General Practice Department, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wellington, New Zealand.
Aims:
This study explored the demographic profile of women consuming alcohol during pregnancy and after giving birth, as part of a larger cohort study of smoking during pregnancy.
Methods:
This was a prospective study of a cohort of 665 women registered with a maternity care provider organisation for antenatal care in Wellington. Data were collected from postal questionnaires sent at intervals during gestation and the postnatal period. The questionnaires elicited information about smoking, alcohol consumption and demographic data.
Results:
At 24 weeks gestation, 74% of women reported not consuming any alcohol in the preceding seven days. Women who were pregnant for the first time, women who experienced nausea, women who were socio-economically deprived and women who smoked were less likely to report having consumed alcohol. At six weeks after giving birth the number of women reporting not consuming any alcohol in the preceding seven days decreased to 46%. Socio-economic deprivation was associated with abstention and tertiary education with alcohol consumption.
Conclusions:
Approximately a quarter of women continue to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Health education aiming to reduce alcohol consumption in pregnancy needs to take into account the profile of women who drink during pregnancy.