title: Segmental hair analysis to assess effectiveness of single-session motivational intervention to stop ethanol use during pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to test the effectiveness of single-session motivational intervention to stop ethanol use during pregnancy using segmental hair analysis of ethyl glucuronide to objectively verify drinking behavior before and after intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  168 pregnant women attending Hospital del Mar (Barcelona, Spain) for antenatal visit were included in the study and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: single-session motivational intervention (MI; N=83) or single-session educational control condition (ECC; N=85). Ethyl glucuronide was measured in maternal hair divided into three segments of 3 cm each corresponding to the three different gestation trimesters by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. Concentrations of EtG<7 pg/mg, between 7 and 30 pg/mg and ≥30 pg/mg in each segment were used to assess total abstinence, repetitive moderate drinking and chronic excessive consumption in the previous three months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About a third of pregnant women self-reporting no ethanol consumption during gestation showed hair EtG values corresponding to ethanol drinking. Single-session MI helped in decreasing alcohol consumption during pregnancy as assessed by lower hair EtG concentrations in 2nd and 3rd trimesters. However, it did not significantly increase complete abstinence in pregnant women who previously showed hair EtG compatible with ethanol consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women did not correctly self reported ethanol consumption during gestation, while hair EtG was essential to correctly identify drinking patterns. Single-session MI was not enough to stop ethanol use during pregnancy. Interventions at any visit during pregnancy are strongly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Infancy and Childhood Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; SAMID Network (Spanish Collaborative Child Health Research Network), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Joya
authors.affiliation: SAMID Network (Spanish Collaborative Child Health Research Network), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant Joan de Déu University Hospital, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Edurne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazarico
authors.affiliation: Infancy and Childhood Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; SAMID Network (Spanish Collaborative Child Health Research Network), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramis
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pacifici
authors.affiliation: Infancy and Childhood Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; SAMID Network (Spanish Collaborative Child Health Research Network), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salat-Batlle
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mortali
authors.affiliation: Infancy and Childhood Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; SAMID Network (Spanish Collaborative Child Health Research Network), Instituto Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, Hospital del Mar, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: García-Algar
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanitá, 00161 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: simona.pichini@iss.it.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000032:analysis; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D009042:Motivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D057566:Self Report; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005965:Glucuronates; C093924:ethyl glucuronide
keywords: Ethanol; Ethyl glucuronide; Hair testing; Motivational intervention; Pregnancy