Improving estimates of prenatal alcohol use in brazzaville, congo

Background: A study was completed in 2012 to determine the prevalence of Prenatal Alcohol Use (PAU) among pregnant women in Brazzaville, Congo. The screening tool collected data on number of drinks and binges during pregnancy to assess risk of negative pregnancy outcomes. Research assumed “1 drink” of beer was the standard 12 ounces of beer used in the United States. It was later discovered that 65 centiliters of beer is commonly considered “1 drink” in Brazzaville. This discrepancy guided a second study to gain a better understanding of alcohol consumption in this population. Purpose: To obtain an improved estimate of PAU in Brazzaville. Methods: 1283 pregnant women were screened using the “1 Question” screen during prenatal visits. Women were asked how many centiliters they consider to be “1 drink.” Adjusted results are reported according to the 12-ounce standard drink used in the United States. Results/Conclusions: Of the 1283 women, 232 (18.08%) reported PAU. Of those reporting PAU, 100% considered 65 cL to be “1 drink.” 65 cL is 21.9791 ounces, or 1.8315 times larger than a standard 12-ounce drink. The unadjusted “average drinks per day” is 3.58 (sd=1.19) and the adjusted “average drinks per day” is 6.56 (sd=2.19). The adjusted drinks also estimate a new number of binge episodes in pregnancy, with a mean of 68.8 (sd=35.5) binges for the 232 women reporting PAU. These adjusted results help determine the actual alcohol consumption in this population. Future studies could use this adjustment to control for cultural differences in alcohol consumption.