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Prevalence and Predictors of Health Risk Behaviours During Early Pregnancy: Saskatoon Pregnancy and Health Study

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Abstract

Canadian data on prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive drugs, and caffeine are sparse. This study presents prevalence rates in Saskatoon for these four risk behaviours during the first trimester of pregnancy and their associations with sociodemographic factors. Personal interviews were conducted with 605 pregnant women (83% participation rate). The most commonly used substance was caffeine (87%), followed by alcohol (46%), tobacco (30%), and psychoactive drugs (7%). Overall, 36% of women reported using two substances, 16% three, and 4% all four substances. In general, risk behaviours were more prevalent among women with lower education and income levels, Aboriginal or Métis background, those not living with a partner, those with previous births, and, in some cases, younger women. The findings illuminate the needs of particular groups of pregnant women and the importance of understanding maternal risk behaviour within the structural and cultural realities of women’s lives.

Résumé

Il y a peu de données sur l’exposition prénatale à l’alcool, au tabac, aux médicaments psychotropes et à la caféine au Canada. Cette étude présente les taux courants de prévalence à Saskatoon de ces quatre comportements à risque pendant le premier trimestre de la grossesse et leurs associations aux facteurs sociodémographiques. Des données ont été recueillies auprès de 605 femmes enceintes (taux de participation de 83 %) à l’aide d’entretiens personnels. La caféine était le produit le plus utilisé (87 %), suivi par l’alcool (46 %), le tabac (30 %), et les médicaments psychotropes (7 %). En tout, 36 % des femmes ont admis l’utilisation de deux de ces produits, 16 % de trois et 4 % de tous les quatre. En général ces comportements à haut risque sont plus répandus parmi les femmes avec de bas niveaux de scolarité et de revenu, d’origine autochtone ou Métis, ne vivant pas avec un partenaire, ayant eu des accouchements et, dans certains cas, d’un jeune âge. Ces résultats font ressortir les besoins de certains groupes de femmes enceintes et l’importance de comprendre le comportement à haut risque des mères à travers les réalités structurelles et culturelles de la vie des femmes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E5, Canada

    Nazeem Muhajarine PhD & Lindsay Edouard FRCOG

  2. Applied Research/Psychiatry, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0W8, Canada

    Carl D’Arcy PhD

Authors
  1. Nazeem Muhajarine PhD
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  2. Carl D’Arcy PhD
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  3. Lindsay Edouard FRCOG
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nazeem Muhajarine PhD or Carl D’Arcy PhD.

Additional information

This paper is based on a project initially funded by the Health Services Utilization and Research Commission, Saskatchewan, and continued with support from the National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP), Health Canada. Dr. Muhajarine wishes to acknowledge the support of a National PhD fellowship from NHRDP, Health Canada.

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Muhajarine, N., D’Arcy, C. & Edouard, L. Prevalence and Predictors of Health Risk Behaviours During Early Pregnancy: Saskatoon Pregnancy and Health Study. Can J Public Health 88, 375–379 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403909

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03403909

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