Alcohol consumption among pregnant women in Brazilian capitals: How many, where, and who are they?

Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses serious risks to maternal and fetal health, making it a public health concern. This study sheds light on the sociodemographic disparities linked to alcohol use among pregnant women in Brazilian capital cities, highlighting vulnerable groups and regional variations. These findings underscore the urgent need to develop tailored preventive strategies to protect maternal and child health. ■ Any alcohol consumption during pregnancy: prevalence of 11.5%. ■ Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy: prevalence of 3.0%. ■ Risk factors: older age, low education, and Indigenous ethnicity. ■ Protective factors: being married and living in Northern Brazil.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with alcohol consumption among pregnant women.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined pregnant women living in Brazilian capitals using information collected by the Noncommunicable Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance System (Vigitel) between 2006 and 2021. This study calculated the prevalence of both excessive and any amount of alcohol consumption by pregnant women and their associations with sociodemographic variables. Multivariate analysis was performed with prevalence ratios based on Poisson crude and adjusted regressions; the threshold for statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: The sample comprised 4,734 pregnant women. The prevalence of any amount of alcohol consumption was 11.5% (95%CI = 9.8-13.6), and that of excessive consumption was 3.0% (95%CI = 2.1-4.2); both remained stable throughout the analyzed period. Being 35-54 years old and having low educational attainment were the main factors associated with both consumption patterns. Being Indigenous was highly associated only with excessive alcohol consumption, whereas being legally married and living in Northern Brazil were protective factors.

Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need for focused preventive strategies targeting the most vulnerable groups to mitigate alcohol consumption and its associated risks during pregnancy.