title: Preconception markers of dual risk for alcohol and smoking exposed pregnancy: tools for primary prevention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Effective preconception primary prevention strategies are needed for women who are at dual risk for alcohol and smoking exposed pregnancies. The current study seeks to identify risk factors that can be used to target intervention strategies at women who are at dual risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 2-year period from January 2007 through December 2009, 109 women at dual risk for alcohol exposed pregnancy (AEP) and smoking exposed pregnancy (SEP) and 108 women at risk only for AEP were recruited from central Virginia cities. All participants completed a battery of instruments, including assessments of sexual, smoking, and alcohol history and current behavior in each area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several factors differentiated women at dual risk for SEP/AEP vs. AEP alone, including lower educational level and employment, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, less use of contraception, and higher frequency of alcohol use and mental disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several measurable factors differentiate SEP/AEP women, and these factors could be used to efficiently target primary prevention. The increased severity of women at dual risk of SEP/AEP on a variety of factors demonstrates the importance of preconception prevention efforts for these women.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, 1670 Discovery Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22911, USA. kareningersoll@gmail.com
authors.forename: Karen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ingersoll
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hettema
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cropsey
authors.forename: Justin P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult