title: Alcohol consumption and abstention among pregnant Japanese women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to clarify the alcohol consumption status of pregnant women in Japan and the characteristics of pregnant women who abstained from alcohol after their pregnancy had been confirmed, a nationwide questionnaire-based study of alcohol consumption behavior was performed. We also examined the factors associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy and abstention after the confirmation of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  After random sampling, 260 institutions participated in the survey; these were selected from a list of survey points fixed by the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The study was conducted on pregnant women with confirmed pregnancies by using self-administered anonymous questionnaires during the period from February 1 through 14, 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alcohol consumption during pregnancy was reported in 11.1% of the study participants, and abstention after the confirmation of pregnancy, in 76.9%. Significant associations were recognized between higher education and both alcohol consumption during pregnancy and abstention after pregnancy confirmation. Furthermore, alcohol consumption was significantly associated with parity, smoking, and shorter sleep duration, whereas abstention was significantly associated with less frequent alcohol consumption and knowledge regarding the risk of alcohol consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results clarified the factors associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy and abstention after the confirmation of pregnancy in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Kamimachi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaneita
authors.forename: Eise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Kenshu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Akiyo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D035041:Anonymous Testing; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health