WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Pregnant women in the United States are drinking alcohol more often than before, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The report, based on national survey data, found that about 15% of pregnant women reported consuming alcohol in the previous 30 days between 2021 and 2024. This is slightly higher than the 13.5% reported between 2018 and 2020. In simple terms, about one in seven pregnant women said they had consumed alcohol in the past month. The report also found that some pregnant women continue to engage in binge drinking and heavy drinking despite the known risks to their babies.
The findings, first reported by Stat, showed that 4.9% of pregnant women reported binge drinking, defined as having four or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion. Another 2.2% reported heavy drinking, which was defined as consuming eight or more alcoholic drinks in a week. Among pregnant women who drank alcohol, about one-third said they had binge-drunk, while nearly 15% reported heavy drinking.
The report found that alcohol use was more common among unmarried pregnant women and those experiencing frequent mental distress. Researchers noted that some people may use alcohol to cope with stress or negative emotions, although drinking can sometimes worsen these problems.
'Clinical approaches, such as routine screening for alcohol consumption and mental health conditions during pregnancy, and community-level approaches, such as point-of-sale warning signs or alcohol sales taxes, might help reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its associated adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes,' the researchers suggested.
However, the study had limitations as it used data from large government health surveys conducted over the phone. For example, some women may have consumed alcohol before they knew they were pregnant. The survey also did not distinguish between women who were in the early stages of pregnancy and those who were several months pregnant.
The CDC described alcohol use during pregnancy as an ongoing public health concern. It suggested that measures such as better health screening, warning labels, and higher alcohol taxes could help reduce alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Meanwhile, health experts warned that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can increase the risk of pregnancy complications and birth problems. According to the CDC, no amount of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy.
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