The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70819

Michelle Quallich, BS¹, Barbara Hanusa, PhD¹, Joseph Conigliaro, MD, MPH¹, Nancy L Day, PhD², Cynthia Larkby, PhD², Melissa McNeil, MD, MPH³, Carol Gilmour, MD, MPH⁴, Margaret Watt-Morse, MD, MPH⁴, and Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc¹. (1) Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 230 McKee Place Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-692-4859, quallichma@msx.upmc.edu, (2) Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Forbes Avenue, Suite 960, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, (3) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Montefiore, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, (4) Department of Pediatrics, Magee-Womens Hospital, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Background: National rates of frequent and binge alcohol use among pregnant women have not changed despite efforts to increase public awareness about the adverse effects of alcohol during pregnancy. Methods: We enrolled 334 pregnant women into the Healthy Outcomes from Prenatal Education (HOPE) study, a randomized trial of a brief intervention to prevent prenatal alcohol use. Subjects drank 3 or more drinks per week between conception and recognition of pregnancy, 1 drink or more per week after recognition, or at least one binge of 4 or more drinks any time after conception. Subjects provided self-report data on alcohol use for 3 time periods (pre-conception, conception-to-recognition, and after recognition) and on knowledge and beliefs about drinking during pregnancy. Results: Subjects reported a mean intake of 3.7 drinks/day pre-conception, 2.9 drinks/day conception-to-recognition, and 0.35 drinks/day after recognition. One hundred sixty seven (50%) subjects reported at least one binge conception-to recognition and 46 (14%) reported at least one binge after recognition. Seventy-five percent felt 1-2 drinks most days during pregnancy put the unborn baby at great risk and 94% attributed at least slight risk from 1-2 drinks anytime during pregnancy. Ninety-nine percent of subjects supported the statement “Pregnant women who drink are not being fair to their baby.” Conclusions: Knowledge of the adverse effects of alcohol use during pregnancy does not prevent women from drinking at potentially harmful levels between conception and recognition of pregnancy as well as after recognition. More effective measures are needed to prevent alcohol use early in pregnancy.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the discrepancies of reported alcohol use with knowledge/attitudes/beliefs about the risks of drinking during pregnancy from a clinical trial of brief intervention to prevent prenatal alcohol use.
• Participants will learn that significant first trimester alcohol use, before the women recognizes she is pregnant, is common.
• Recognize that knowledge about the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy is not sufficient to prevent women from using alcohol early in pregnancy.

Keywords: Prenatal Interventions,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employed by the NIAAA funded grant entitled "Brief Intervention to Prevent Prenatal Alcohol Use" (Grant# AA12485)