Journal Article

Alcohol use during pregnancy in Rakai, Uganda

Wawer, Maria, Sewankambo, Nelson, Chang, Larry W., Wynn, Adriane, Nalugoda, Fred, Lutalo, Tom, Nabukalu, Dorean, Kiene, Susan M., Kigozi, Godfrey, Serwadda, David M., Wagman, Jennifer A.

2021

Overview

Antenatal alcohol use is linked to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Uganda has one of the highest rates of alcohol use in sub-Saharan Africa, but the prevalence of antenatal alcohol use has not been reported in the Rakai region. We used cross-sectional data from pregnant women in the Rakai Community Cohort Study between March 2017 and September 2018. Using bivariate and multivariable analyses, we assessed associations between self-reported antenatal alcohol use and sociodemographic characteristics, intimate partner violence (IPV), and HIV status. Among 960 pregnant women, the median age was 26 years, 35% experienced IPV in the past 12 months, 13% were living with HIV, and 33% reported alcohol use during their current pregnancy. After adjusting for marital status, education, smoking, and HIV status; Catholic religion (AOR: 3.54; 95% CI: 1.89-6.64; compared to other), bar/restaurant work (AOR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.17-4.92; compared to agriculture), >one sex partner in past year (AOR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.17-3.16), a partner that drank before sex in past year (AOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.48-2.74), and past year IPV (AOR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.14-2.11) were associated with antenatal alcohol use. We found that alcohol use during pregnancy was common and associated with religion, occupation, higher numbers of past year sex partners, having a partner who drank before sex in the past 12 months, and IPV experience. More research is needed to understand the quantity, frequency, and timing of antenatal alcohol use; and potential impacts on neonates; and to identify services that are acceptable and effective among pregnant women.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aggression / Agriculture / Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology / Alcohol use / Alcohols / Bars / Biology and Life Sciences / Bivariate analysis / Catholics / Cohort analysis / Cohort Studies / Community / Demographic aspects / Domestic violence / Drinking of alcoholic beverages / Education / Epidemiology / Evaluation / Female / Fetal alcohol syndrome / Health aspects / Health sciences / Health surveillance / HIV / Human immunodeficiency virus / Humans / Intimate partner violence / Intimate Partner Violence - statistics & numerical data / Logistic Models / Marital status / Medical tests / Medicine / Medicine and Health Sciences / Neonates / Newborn babies / People and Places / Physical Sciences / Pregnancy / Pregnant women / Prenatal care / Prevalence studies (Epidemiology) / Psychological aspects / Public health / Religion / Restaurants / Sex / Sexual behavior / Sexually transmitted diseases / Smoking / Social Sciences / Sociodemographics / STD / Uganda - epidemiology / Women / Womens health / Young Adult