Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110041

Amy L. Godecker, PhD¹, Kristen S. Marchi, MPH², Eugene R. Takahashi, PhD¹, and Shabbir Ahmad, DVM MS PhD¹. (1) Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, 1615 Capitol Ave, MS 8304, PO Box 997420, Sacramento, CA 95899-7420, 916-650-0325, agodecke@dhs.ca.gov, (2) Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU-3 East, Box 0900, San Francisco, CA 94143-0900

Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy are known risk factors for low birthweight and other poor infant outcomes. Healthy People (HP) 2010 objectives are that, during pregnancy, fewer than 6% of women drink alcohol and fewer than 1% smoke cigarettes. We examined California's maternity population by analyzing data from respondents (n=17,725) to the 1999-2003 Maternal and Infant Health Assessment, an annual representative survey of postpartum women. Reported maternal alcohol use during the 3rd trimester was stable from 1999-2003: about 8.2% of mothers drank any alcohol [CI: 7.7-8.6]; 1.5% of mothers averaged one or more drinks per week [CI: 1.3-1.7]. However, the percent of mothers smoking in the 3rd trimester declined significantly from 5.7% [CI: 4.9-6.5] in 1999 to 3.6% [CI: 3.0-4.2] in 2003. Neither HP 2010 target was met. Women reporting higher average numbers of drinks weekly during the 3rd trimester also were more likely to smoke. Smokers tended to be less educated and have lower incomes, but smoking did not vary by age. Fewer than 1% of foreign-born Latina and Asian mothers smoked during their 3rd trimester compared to 3-4% of U.S.-born Latina and Asian mothers and 8-9% of African American and White mothers. Yet, higher alcohol use during the 3rd trimester was more likely for women age 35+, over 400% of the Federal Poverty Level and with at least a college degree. White mothers were more likely to drink than women of color: 15% vs. 4-5%. Thus, strategies to reduce maternal drinking and smoking must target different populations.

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