Alcohol Consumption, Pregnancy, & Preterm Birth

Alcohol Consumption

Maternal alcohol consumption can have health consequences for both the mother and fetus, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD describes a range of conditions linked to prenatal exposure to alcohol; however, effects on the baby vary widely and are difficult to predict and to diagnose. Alcohol consumption in large quantities has been associated with preterm birth and low birth weight (LBW).

(Kaminski, Rumeau, & Schwartz, 1978; Sokol et al., 2007}

In case you have a pregnant wife who continues to drink despite her delicate condition, you really need to learn how to help an alcoholic spouse before it’s too late.

Australian Stats

• From 1995-1997 a random sample of all non-Aboriginal women giving birth in Western Australia was surveyed and of 4,839 women 80% of women consumed alcohol in the 3 months before pregnancy.

Non-Aboriginal Women (Western Australian survey)

• More than half (59%) of women reported consuming alcohol during pregnancy
• 15% drank in excess of the current Australian Alcohol Guideline for alcohol consumption in the first trimester of pregnancy
• 10% drank in excess of the current Australian Alcohol Guideline for alcohol consumption in the second and third trimesters

(Colvin, Parsons, Kurinczuk, & Bower, 2007)

Aboriginal Women: 1995-1997

• 44% reported that they drank alcohol during pregnancy
• 22% reported that they had become intoxicated at least once during pregnancy

(Zubrick, Lawrence, Mitrou, Dalby, & Blair, 2005)

Alcohol and Pregnancy Project. Alcohol and Pregnancy: Health Professionals Making a Difference. Perth: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research; 2007.

Canadian Stats

• 2000-2001: 12.2% of mothers reported drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
• 2003: 12.4% of mothers reported drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
• 2005: 10.5% of mothers reported drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol Consumption: Pregnancy and Age

• Reported alcohol use in pregnancy varied by age of the mother. Older mothers were generally more likely than younger mothers to report alcohol consumption. Estimates of alcohol consumption among women 15 to 19 years of age fluctuated considerably from 2000–2001 to 2003 to 2005.

Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian Perinatal Health Report, 2008 Edition. Ottawa, 2008.