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Patterns of Alcohol Intake of Pregnant and Lactating Women in Rural Western Australia

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Abstract

Objectives Monitoring surveys and research outline a paucity of alcohol consumption data for women in the period of lactation, particularly in rural areas of developed countries. Identifying the drinking profile of ante- and postnatal women in this population will aid in the effective dissemination of public health interventions. This paper will present the first alcohol consumption data of pregnant and breastfeeding women living in rural Western Australia (WA). Methods A prospective cohort of 489 mothers and their infants were recruited between April 2010 and November 2011. All women regardless of their infant feeding method were followed up at 4, 10, 16, 26, 32, 40 and 52 weeks postpartum. Data were analysed to ascertain the prevalence and patterns of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and lactation. Results Approximately 20% of women consumed alcohol during pregnancy, with a predominance of women from older age groups and smokers. At 4, 6 and 12 months postpartum; 45.9%, 47.0% and 51.9% of breastfeeding mothers were consuming alcohol respectively. Conclusions for Practice There remains a considerable proportion of women who continue to drink during pregnancy. Although proven successful, public health campaigns now need to target women who are older and who smoke. Women are continuing to consume alcohol during the period of lactation, with the majority doing so at low levels.

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Source: (National Health and Medical Research Council 2009) and (National Health and Medical Research Council 2001)

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Acknowledgements

This authors wish to thank the maternity and child health staff involved in data collection, and the mothers who participated so willingly in the study. Without them, this research would not be possible. Although no longer current, Dr Roslyn Giglia would like to acknowledge Healthway (Health Promotion Foundation of WA) for support as a Healthway Health Promotion Research Fellow during this study, and for funding part of this study through a Healthway Research Starter Grant. Dr Kylee Cox was the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship for her PhD candidature during this study. The authors would like to acknowledge the forethought of Professor Colin Binns who developed the concept of the original Perth Infant Feeding Study in 1993.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Elizabeth Tearne & Roslyn Giglia

  2. WA Country Health Service, Perth, WA, Australia

    Kylee Cox

  3. NHMRC FASD Research Australia, Centre of Research Excellence, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    Roslyn Giglia

  4. Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Rd, Subiaco, WA, 6008, Australia

    Roslyn Giglia

Authors
  1. Elizabeth Tearne
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  2. Kylee Cox
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  3. Roslyn Giglia
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Correspondence to Roslyn Giglia.

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There are no potential conflicts of interest or competing financial interests to be reported.

Appendices

Appendices

See Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Table 1 Characteristics of drinking and non-drinking women during pregnancy (n = 424)
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Table 2 Alcohol consumption prior to and during pregnancy; and alcohol consumption of lactating women reporting ‘any breastfeeding’ at 4, 6 and 12 months postpartum (%)
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Table 3 Timing and type of alcohol consumption by breastfeeding mothers
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Tearne, E., Cox, K. & Giglia, R. Patterns of Alcohol Intake of Pregnant and Lactating Women in Rural Western Australia. Matern Child Health J 21, 2068–2077 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-017-2318-8

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