Predictors of Binge Drinking During Pregnancy Among Women in Ukraine

A comprehensive program for prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders calls for targeted intervention and prevention efforts among women who are risky drinkers, i.e., chronic or binge drinkers during pregnancy. Characteristics of women who engage in risky drinking may vary by culture; however, little information is available about drinking habits and predictors of risky drinking among pregnant women in Eastern Europe. As part of an NIH-sponsored international Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, we examined predictors of binge drinking, defined as four or more standard drinks per occasion, among a sample of 166 women in Ukraine who were recruited and interviewed during the middle of pregnancy. Statistically significant predictors of binge drinking were similar to those reported in other U.S. and non-U.S. samples and included lower socioeconomic status, tobacco use, unplanned pregnancy, no use of prenatal or multivitamins, and lack of accurate knowledge regarding the effects of alcohol on the fetus. Of particular interest, frequent and/or heavy paternal drinking was strongly associated with maternal binge drinking. For example, fathers who drank three or four times a week, relative to those who drank less than one time a week, were 32 times more likely (95% confidence interval 8.90-118.6) to have female partners who binge drank during pregnancy. Similarly, fathers who consumed five or more drinks per occasion, relative to those who consumed one to two drinks per occasion, were 39 times more likely (95% confidence interval 12.2-124.7) to have female partners who binge drank during pregnancy. In addition, women who reported difficulties with their partner such as poor satisfaction with the quality of the relationship and/or inability to peacefully resolve disagreements were significantly more likely to binge drink in pregnancy. These findings suggest that to the extent that maternal characteristics of women in Ukraine are similar to those of binge drinking women in other cultural settings, prevention efforts in Ukraine may be modeled after targeted interventions that have been successful in other countries. Our findings related to partner characteristics suggest that additional opportunities for targeted intervention may be found in the partner or family drinking culture.