Alcohol use during pregnancy: findings from a gender-based violence survey in Mongolia

This study aimed to explore the risk factors for alcohol use during pregnancy in Mongolia, wherein high-risk alcohol use is prevalent. We analyzed nationwide data from the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Survey of Mongolia conducted in 2017. We conducted an analysis restricted to 2714 women who had given birth within 5 years of the survey and who had responded to questions about their health-related behaviors during pregnancy. We assessed the association between alcohol use during pregnancy and pregnancy-related factors, including maternal age, educational attainment, history of abortion, smoking during pregnancy, unintended pregnancy, prior experience of sexual and physical violence, physical violence during pregnancy, and current binge drinking while also considering their residential region. Alcohol use during pregnancy was reported in 5.4% of the participating women. Unintended pregnancy for women (OR = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.60, 2.38), abortion history (1.89, 95% CI: 1.60, 2.24), smoking during pregnancy (8.30, 95% CI: 6.60, 10.43), physical violence during pregnancy (2.22, 95% CI: 1.75, 2.81), and being a binge drinker (6.05, 95% CI: 3.63, 10.10) were associated with higher odds of alcohol use during pregnancy. Associations with maternal age, marital status, higher education, or multiparity were not evident. Our finding provides knowledge of risk factors for alcohol drinking among pregnant women and evidence for another harm of gender-based violence. This would contribute to the development of effective strategies for preventing antenatal exposure to alcohol in Mongolia.