title: Alcohol-use disorders during and within one year of pregnancy: a population-based cohort study 1985-2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine alcohol-use disorders in pregnant women and the extent of under-reporting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Western Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with a birth recorded on the Western Australian Midwives Notification System (1985-2006).
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers with an International Classification of Diseases 9/10 alcohol-related diagnosis, indicating heavy alcohol consumption, recorded on population-based health datasets (non-Aboriginal n=5,839; Aboriginal n=2,583) were identified through the Western Australian data-linkage system. This 'exposed' cohort was frequency matched (on maternal age, year of birth of offspring, Aboriginal status) with comparison mothers without an alcohol-related diagnosis (non-Aboriginal n=33,979; Aboriginal n=8,005).
  
  
  METHODS
  Trends in maternal alcohol diagnoses in relation to pregnancy for non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal women. The proportion of children diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) who had a mother with an alcohol diagnosis recorded during pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of Aboriginal mothers in Western Australia with an alcohol diagnosis (23.1%) is ten times greater than for non-Aboriginal mothers (2.3%). There has been a six-fold increase in the percentage of non-Aboriginal births with a maternal alcohol diagnosis recorded during pregnancy and a 100-fold increase for Aboriginal births. Around 70% of the mothers of children diagnosed with FAS did not have an alcohol diagnosis recorded during pregnancy and 18% of the mothers had no record of an alcohol diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal alcohol exposure during pregnancy is significantly under-ascertained. Given the severe risks to the fetus from heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, assessment and recording of alcohol use should be routinely undertaken in maternity and other health settings.
authors: Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. colleen.oleary@curtin.edu.au
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: O'Leary
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Halliday
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bartu
authors: H
authors: H
authors: D'Antoine
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Bower
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult