Prenatal alcohol intake in a rural, caucasian clinic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This study examined prior use and psychosocial factors associated with alcohol and/or drug use in pregnant women from a predominantly Caucasian, rural clinic in northeastern Maine.

METHODS

We conducted archival record reviews of 217 pregnant women who delivered at the Family Practice Clinic of Eastern Maine Medical Center As part of the standard initial prenatal visit during thefirst trimester, a nurse practitioner interviewed and collected data from pregnant women concerning pre-pregnancy and current-pregnancy use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Data were available for 212 subjects.

RESULTS

The reported prevalence of pre-pregnancy alcohol abuse in this sample was 25%. Women in this cohort reported a significant decrease in tobacco and alcohol use following pregnancy awareness. However, pre-pregnancy alcohol intake levels and years of alcohol use were associated with alcohol intake during pregnancy. Other markers of maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy included tobacco use patterns and history of drug use. Family history of alcohol problems and drug use were associated with maternal substance use history and use by the father of the baby. Levels of maternal alcohol use during the current pregnancy were negatively associated with an alcohol problem in the father of the baby.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol and other substance use were relatively common in our sample of rural Caucasian women in Maine. Several risk factors can be identified, and awareness of these risk factors may assist physicians in the diagnosis of substance abuse among pregnant women.