Peri-conceptual and mid-pregnancy drinking: a cross-sectional assessment in two Scottish health board areas using a 7-day Retrospective Diary

Symon, Andrew; Rankin, Jean; Sinclair, Hazel; Butcher, Geraldine; Barclay, Kylie; Gordon, Rhona; MacDonald, Michelle; Smith, Lesley

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a 7-day Retrospective Diary to assess peri-conceptual and mid-pregnancy alcohol consumption. Background: Alcohol consumption among women has increased significantly and is of international concern. Heavy episodic (‘binge’) drinking is commonplace and is associated with unintended pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy drinking is strongly associated with continued drinking in pregnancy. Routine antenatal assessment of alcohol history and current drinking is variable; potentially harmful peri-conceptual drinking may be missed if a woman reports low or no drinking during pregnancy. Design: Cross-sectional study (n=510) in two Scottish health board areas. Methods: Face-to-face Retrospective Diary administration from February to June 2015 assessing alcohol consumption in peri-conceptual and mid-pregnancy periods. Women were recruited at the mid-pregnancy ultrasound clinic. Results: Of 510 women, 470 (92·0%) drank alcohol before their pregnancy; 187 (39·9%) drank every week. Retrospective assessment of peri-conceptual consumption identified heavy episodic drinking (more than six units on one occasion) in 52·2% (n=266); 19·6% (n=100) reported drinking more than 14 units per week, mostly at the weekend; ‘mixing’ of drinks was associated with significantly higher consumption. While consumption tailed off following pregnancy recognition, 5·5% (n=28) still exceeded the recommended daily two-unit limit in pregnancy. Multivariable logistic regression identified that women who ‘binged’ peri-conceptually were 3·2 times more likely to do this. Conclusion: Statistically significant peri-conceptual consumption levels suggest a substantial proportion of alcohol-exposed pregnancies before pregnancy recognition. Not taking a detailed alcohol history, including patterns of consumption, will result in under-detection of alcohol-exposed pregnancies. The Retrospective Diary offers practitioners a detailed way of enquiring about alcohol history for this population.

Citation

Symon, A., Rankin, J., Sinclair, H., Butcher, G., Barclay, K., Gordon, R., MacDonald, M., & Smith, L. (2017). Peri-conceptual and mid-pregnancy drinking: a cross-sectional assessment in two Scottish health board areas using a 7-day Retrospective Diary. Journal of advanced nursing, 73(2), 375-385. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13112

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 30, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Sep 26, 2016
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Deposit Date: Apr 25, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Advanced Nursing
• Print ISSN: 0309-2402
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 73
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 375-385
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13112
• Keywords: Alcohol consumption; Antenatal; Binge drinking; Midwives; Pregnancy; Prenatal care; Questionnaires; Teratogenesis
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1647345
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jan.13112