College of Health Sciences Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University School of Languages Literature and Communication, Kampala, Uganda.
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2021 Nov 8;16(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s13011-021-00418-2.
Alcohol use during pregnancy has been associated with several birth defects and developmental disabilities generally known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Contextual in-depth understanding on why women drink while pregnant is scarce. For this reason, we explored pregnant women's experiences, knowledge, attitudes as well as provider perceptions regarding prenatal alcohol consumption to inform interventions meant to address alcohol-exposed pregnancies in post-conflict settings.
In the months of May and June 2019, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant mothers who reported maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. In addition 30 Key informant interviews were carried out with health workers providing Antenatal Care services (ANC) in health facilities in Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts in Northern Uganda. Data was recorded, transcribed and subjected to thematic content analysis.
Women reported diverse views regarding maternal alcohol use during pregnancy. Whereas some felt it was favourable, others had misgivings about it. There was marked variability in knowledge on dangers of drinking during pregnancy. In this study, women reported that they found themselves in alluring situations that predisposed them to drinking alcohol. These included brewing alcohol as a source of livelihood, pregnancy-induced craving for alcohol, and participation in cultural festivities that are characterised by eating and drinking alcohol. Nonetheless, women who consume alcohol during pregnancy were not held in high esteem in the Acholi communities. Various prevention interventions reportedly existed in communities to address alcohol use during pregnancy including ANC health education, public debates, radio talk shows, community health worker group and individual counselling, and local council by laws.
Pregnant mothers in post-conflict northern Uganda regard alcohol as a remedy to some of the social, economic and health challenges they face. Hence they continue drinking even during pregnancy because of the existing socio-cultural norms that promote it. The findings of this study demonstrate a need for sensitising communities in which pregnant women live so they can provide a supportive environment for mothers to abstain from alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Health care providers should ensure pregnant women consistently receive accurate and honest messages on the dangers of drinking during pregnancy so they can make informed decisions.
怀孕期间饮酒与多种出生缺陷和发育障碍有关，通常被称为胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）。关于为什么女性在怀孕期间饮酒，我们知之甚少。出于这个原因，我们探讨了孕妇对产前饮酒的经历、知识、态度以及提供者的看法，以便为冲突后环境中处理暴露于酒精的妊娠提供信息。
在 2019 年 5 月和 6 月期间，对报告在怀孕期间饮酒的 30 名孕妇进行了深入访谈。此外，在北乌干达的古卢、基特古姆和帕德尔地区的卫生设施中，对 30 名提供产前护理服务（ANC）的卫生工作者进行了关键知情人访谈。对数据进行了记录、转录和主题内容分析。
妇女对怀孕期间饮酒的看法各不相同。一些人认为这是有利的，而另一些人则对其持怀疑态度。关于怀孕期间饮酒的危害，知识水平差异显著。在这项研究中，妇女报告说，她们发现自己处于诱人的情况下，使她们倾向于饮酒。这些情况包括酿造酒精作为生计来源、怀孕引起的对酒精的渴望，以及参与以吃喝为特征的文化庆祝活动。尽管如此，在阿乔利社区，怀孕期间饮酒的妇女并不受人尊敬。据报道，社区中存在各种预防干预措施来解决怀孕期间的饮酒问题，包括 ANC 健康教育、公开辩论、广播脱口秀、社区卫生工作者小组和个别咨询，以及地方议会法规。
在冲突后的北乌干达，孕妇将酒精视为她们面临的一些社会、经济和健康挑战的一种补救措施。因此，由于现有的促进饮酒的社会文化规范，即使在怀孕期间，她们也继续饮酒。这项研究的结果表明，需要使孕妇所在的社区敏感化，以便为母亲提供一个支持性的环境，使她们能够在怀孕期间不饮酒。卫生保健提供者应确保孕妇始终收到关于怀孕期间饮酒危害的准确和诚实的信息，以便她们能够做出明智的决定。
