title: A Comparison of Alcohol Consumption Intentions Among Pregnant Drinkers and Their Nonpregnant Peers of Child-Bearing Age.
abstract: To investigate alcohol consumption intentions among Australian women of childbearing age by pregnancy status.
  
  
  
  Three national online surveys were conducted with adult drinkers who consume an alcoholic beverage at least two days per month. Data from female respondents of childbearing age were analyzed according to pregnancy status: pregnant (n = 101), possibly pregnant (n = 178), and not pregnant (n = 1,957).
  
  
  
  Pregnant drinkers were significantly more likely than possibly pregnant and nonpregnant drinkers of child-bearing age to report that they should and will reduce their alcohol consumption. Results showed that 33% of the pregnant women, 32% of the nonpregnant women, and 39% of the possibly pregnant women reported intending to drink five or more standard drinks on a single occasion in the following two weeks. Older pregnant women exhibited higher rates of heavy drinking intentions and lower intentions to reduce their consumption relative to younger pregnant women.
  
  
  
  Despite current alcohol consumption guidelines recommending abstinence while pregnant, pregnant respondents exhibited heavy episodic drinking intentions comparable to those of their nonpregnant peers.
  
  
  
  There is a need to increase public awareness of current alcohol guidelines for pregnant women. Older women of childbearing age and those planning a pregnancy may require particular attention.
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology and Speech Pathology , Curtin University , Perth , Australia.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pettigrew
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology and Speech Pathology , Curtin University , Perth , Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jongenelis
authors.affiliation: b National Drug Research Institute , Curtin University , Perth , Australia.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chikritzhs
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology and Speech Pathology , Curtin University , Perth , Australia.|c Cancer Council Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Iain S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology and Speech Pathology , Curtin University , Perth , Australia.|c Cancer Council Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slevin
authors.affiliation: d UWA Centre for Software Practice , University of Western Australia , Crawley , Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Glance
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D001315:Australia; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Alcohol; drinking intentions; guidelines; pregnancy