title: Exposure to tobacco, alcohol and drugs of abuse during pregnancy. A study of prevalence among pregnant women in Malaga (Spain).
abstract: The prevalence of substance abuse in women who become pregnant is similar to that of the general population, resulting in a high fetal exposure rate during the most vulnerable period regarding neurodevelopment and organogenesis. The present study was intended to assess the level of prenatal exposure to tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs in the city of Málaga (Spain). It was designed as a cross-sectional study, and based on the anonymous self-reports of participants. A total of 451 pregnant women were recruited in the first, second or third trimester. The prevalence in each of the quarters respectively was 21.2%, 18.5% and 13.3% for smoking, 40.7%, 23.1% and 17.1% for alcohol and 4.8%, 1.9% and 1.2% for cannabis. We also found that a higher educational level was associated with a lower consumption of tobacco (RR 0.659 [0.537-0.810] p&lt;0.0001) and greater exposure to alcohol (RR 1.87 [1.30-2.69] p&lt;0.0007). These results, particularly in regard to alcohol intake, are sufficiently alarming to alert obstetric care providers about the need to implement preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología. Universidad de Málaga. Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga.. egonzalezmesa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blasco-Alonso
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: González-Mesa
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gálvez Montes
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lozano Bravo
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merino Galdón
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuenca Campos
authors.forename: Gema
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marín Schiaffino
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pérez Torres
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrera Peral
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bellido Estévez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*