1. Alcohol drinking in pregnancy: some predictors among Portuguese women
2nd European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies
PAPER SESSION
Focus on pregnancy and the neonate
Ludmila Carapinha, Elsa Lavado
SICAD Serviço de Intervenção nos Comportamentos Aditivos e nas Dependências
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2. The research team works in the Portuguese governmental organization dedicated to the monitoring and intervention in addictive behaviours:
General – Directorate for the Intervention in Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies.

3. Background
Fetal alcohol exposure is currently considered the major cause of avoidable developmental disorders in Europe.
According to the General Population Survey (2012), 49% of women (Portuguese residents, ) drank at least once in the year before the survey. Among the women in fertile age range the prevalence is similar (I).
Several studies demonstrate that alcohol prevalence is usually lower in pregnancy (II).
Balsa, Vital & Urbano (2014). III Inquérito nacional ao consumo de substâncias psicoativas na população geral Portugal Lisboa: SICAD.
For exemple: Zammit, S. L., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J. & Milgrom, J. (2008). Pregnant women's alcohol consumption: the predictive utility of intention to drink and prepregnancy drinking behavior. Journal of Women's Health, 17 (9),

4. Aims I. To determine the prevalence of alcohol use in pregnancy
II. Identify predictors of maintaining alcohol drinking in pregnancy

5. Method
TARGET POPULATION: Pregnant woman with a medical appointment concerning their pregnancy, in 33 primary care facilities in Lisbon, between 15/09/ /11/2014 (capable to read/write Portuguese) N=2 151
PARTICIPANTS: Among the pregnant, participated in the study, questionnaires were validated
Cross – sectional study
Self-report questionnaires
Presented by the health staff, mainly nurses
Filling in the primary care facilities while waiting for appointment

6. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES
Sample descriptive
PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE
IN THE 12M BEFORE PREGNANCY
Average age: 31 years
Portuguese (85%)
Education level: at least 9 years (77%)
47% in University
Employed (58%)
Unemployed (22%)
1st child (55%)
2nd child(33%)
Living with a partner (81%)
SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES
Alcohol : 71%
Tobacco:28%
Illicit drugs: 7%
The majority drank alcohol less than once a week
33% had binge drinking (5 or more glasses in 1 occasion) at least once

7. Alcohol drinking in pregnancy
19% drank alcohol
1% made binge drinking
Among the 775 pregnant women that used to drink before pregnancy, 26% continued to drink
DEPENDENT VARIABLE in the study: maintenance of alcohol use after knowledge of pregnancy

8. Possible predictors of maintaining alcohol drinking in pregnancy
Sociodemographic features
(clusters: age, level of education, income, work situation, cohabitation)
Pregnancy
(trimester, level of satisfaction)
Exposure to psychological/physical violence
(prior/during pregnancy)
Psychoactive substance use prior to pregnancy
(12M before: binge drinking, subjective inebriation with alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs)
Beliefs about alcohol effects in the baby
(level of agreement with negative effects related with several patterns of alcohol drinking in pregnancy; Nr of alcohol glasses admissible to drink per week in pregnancy)
Perception of self-control concerning alcohol drinking
(level of difficulty in not drinking while pregnant)
Beliefs about the level of acceptance of moderate alcohol drinking in pregnancy
(level of acceptance of family/friends, and of health staff)
Representation about the partner’s alcohol drinking
(amount of alcohol drinking in comparison with the participant)

9. Results of adjusted logistic regression (Enter method)
The probability of quitting alcohol drinking with knowledge of pregnancy increases if the pregnant:
Thinks that:
no glass is safe drinking while pregnant
family/friends disagree/total disagree with moderate alcohol drinking in pregnancy
in comparison to oneself, her partner doesn’t drink or drinks less
- Is in the 1st trimester of pregnancy

10. Results of adjusted logistic regression (Enter method)
The probability of NOT quitting alcohol drinking with knowledge of pregnancy increases if the pregnant:
Has a perception of low self-control concerning alcohol drinking in pregnancy

11. Conclusions
About 1 in 4 of the woman studied continued to drink after knowledge of pregnancy
3 dimensions are emphasised as relevant to alcohol drinking maintenance/quitting while pregnant:
Information
Social network drinking practices and attitudes
Perception of self-control

12. Thank you for your attention
Research Team
Coordination: Ludmila Carapinha, Carla Ribeiro, Elsa Lavado, Mário Castro, Cristina Ribeiro
Support in the implementation: medical interns
The research team wishes to thank:
the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Administration of Health
the staff of the primary care facilities
the participants in the study
colleagues from SICAD/DEI
Thank you for your attention