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Prevalence of alcohol and illicit drug use by expectant mothers
J Jacob1, H Harrison, A T Tigert
1Alaska Neonatal/Perinatal Research Foundation, Inc., Anchorage 99508, USA.
Background:
Prevalence data of illicit drug and alcohol use during pregnancy in Alaska is limited. This study demonstrates the prevalence of perinatal drug and alcohol use at a single community hospital in Anchorage, Alaska.
Methods:
A convenience sample was used during a six month period. 351 anonymous urine samples were obtained from imminently delivering women. Screening toxicology tests were run and results were linked to demographic variables using a common random reference number.
Results:
16.2% (n = 57) of the samples were positive for drugs or alcohol. Cannabinoids and alcohol were found most frequently. Polydrug use was found in 22.8% of the positive samples. Medicaid recipients represented the highest users of illicit drugs and alcohol.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of positive drug screens and polydrug use in our sample is amongst the highest reported in the literature. The high prevalence of drug and alcohol use indicates that present prevention strategies are not working in Alaska. New and innovative outcome based strategies to decrease drug and alcohol use in pregnancy are needed.