title: Alcohol use among pregnant African American women: ecological considerations.
abstract: Alcohol use across pregnancy causes growth and other abnormalities in the offspring. Confirmation of pregnancy leads some women to discontinue alcohol use and other women to continue use. The study discussed in this article assessed alcohol use at the first and third trimesters and at delivery for 393 pregnant African American women in an urban area. At the first trimester, 118 women were moderate to heavy drinkers (one or more drinks per day), compared with 38 women who were at delivery. Socioenvironmental and psychological differences were identified for both women who reduced consumption and women who continued. An understanding of continued drinkers' vulnerability to factors that influence their drinking behaviors demands the development of appropriate, early, and effective intervention strategies. Social welfare implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Social Sciences, Carlow College, 3333 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3165, USA. etlucas@carlow.edu
authors.forename: Emma T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Lidush
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldschmidt
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012946:Social Welfare; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology