TABLE 3—
Drinking and Smoking Behaviors of Mothers of Children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) (n = 54) and Randomly Selected Control Mothers (n = 116): South Africa, Wave II, 1999–2001
| Mothers of Children With FAS | Control Mothers | P (OR) | ||||
| Total Sample (n = 53) | Drinkers Onlyc (n = 35) | Total Sample (n = 109) | Drinkers Only (n = 19) | Total Sample | Drinkers Only | |
| Drinking behavior | ||||||
| Age first drank alcohol, y, mean (SD) | 19.4 (4.5) | 19.6 (4.6) | NSa | |||
| Age began drinking regularly, y, mean (SD) | 20.4 (4.3) | 20.3 (3.7) | NSa | |||
| No. years of drinking alcohol, mean (SD) | 13.4 (7.3) | 3.7 (5.7) | <.001a | |||
| Current drinker, % | 69.8c | 21.1 | <.001b (8.14) | |||
| Current alcohol consumption (no. drinks per week), mean (SD) | 12.6 (13.1) | 15.2 (11.2) | 1.0 (2.9) | 5.4 (4.7) | <.001a | <.001a |
| Binge drinking (3+ drinks) 1 or more days during past week, % | 69.6 | 96.4 | 5.5 | 31.3 | <.001b (39.31) | <.000b (59.40) |
| Current alcohol consumption on weekends (i.e., Friday, Saturday, Sunday), mean no. drinks (SD) | 11.1 (11.1) | 13.6 (8.9) | 0.9 (2.7) | 5.0 (4.2) | <.001a | <.000a |
| Proportion of alcohol consumed during weekends, % | 88.1 | 89.5 | 90.0 | 92.6 | ||
| Before pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Drank about the same (vs current use) | 61.5 | 19.4 | ||||
| Drank less (vs current use) | 1.9 | 2.2 | ||||
| Drank more (vs current use) | 28.8 | 9.7 | ||||
| Did not drink | 7.7 | 67.7 | ||||
| Stopped during this period | 0.0 | 1.1 | ||||
| Drank during index pregnancy, % | 92.4d | 19.5 | ||||
| During first trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Drank about the same (vs current use) | 54.7 | 11.7 | ||||
| Drank less (vs current use) | 5.7 | 3.6 | ||||
| Drank more (vs current use) | 32.1 | 4.5 | ||||
| Did not drink | 7.5 | 78.4 | ||||
| Stopped during this period | 0.0 | 1.8 | <.001b | |||
| During second trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Drank about the same (vs current use) | 52.8 | 8.1 | ||||
| Drank less (vs current use) | 5.7 | 2.7 | ||||
| Drank more (vs current use) | 34.0 | 2.7 | ||||
| Did not drink | 7.5 | 80.2 | ||||
| Stopped during this period | 0.0 | 6.3 | <.001b | |||
| During third trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Drank about the same (vs current use) | 54.7 | 5.5 | ||||
| Drank less (vs current use) | 1.9 | 5.5 | ||||
| Drank more (vs current use) | 32.1 | 1.8 | ||||
| Did not drink | 7.5 | 85.5 | ||||
| Stopped during this period | 3.8 | 1.8 | <.001b | |||
| Beverage of choice, %e | ||||||
| Beer | 58.5 | 19.6 | <.001a (5.76) | |||
| Wine | 45.3 | 5.4 | <.001a (14.62) | |||
| Spirits | 5.7 | 1.8 | NSa | |||
| Combination | 1.9 | 0.9 | NSa | |||
| Ever had a problem with alcohol abuse, % | 4.0 | 1.9 | NSb | |||
| Ever received treatment for alcohol abuse, % | 1.9 | 0.0 | NSb | |||
| Smoking behavior | ||||||
| Age first used tobacco, y, mean (SD) | 18.3 (3.5) | 18.6 (3.8) | NSa | |||
| Age began smoking regularly, y, mean (SD) | 18.5 (3.7) | 19.3 (4.3) | NSa | |||
| Current smoker, % | 66.0 | 30.1 | <.001b (4.52) | |||
| Current tobacco consumption, g/wk, mean (SD) | 27.5 (32.0) | 38.2 (32.4) | 9.3 (17.1) | 27.9 (19.1) | <.001a | NSa |
| Before pregnancy , % | ||||||
| Smoked about the same (vs current use) | 61.5 | 15.7 | ||||
| Smoked less (vs current use) | 7.7 | 10.2 | ||||
| Smoked more (vs current use) | 5.8 | 3.7 | ||||
| Did not smoke | 25.0 | 70.4 | ||||
| Stopped during this trimester | 0.0 | 0.0 | <.001b | |||
| Smoked during index pregnancy, % | 75.5 | 30.3 | <.001b (7.08) | |||
| During first trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Smoked about the same (vs current use) | 58.5 | 14.8 | ||||
| Smoked less (vs current use) | 13.2 | 10.2 | ||||
| Smoked more (vs current use) | 5.7 | 2.8 | ||||
| Did not smoke | 22.6 | 71.3 | ||||
| Stopped during this trimester | 0.0 | 0.9 | <.001b | |||
| During second trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Smoked about the same (vs current use) | 62.3 | 13.5 | ||||
| Smoked less (vs current use) | 9.4 | 9.0 | ||||
| Smoked more (vs current use) | 5.7 | 3.6 | ||||
| Did not smoke | 22.6 | 72.1 | ||||
| Stopped during this trimester | 0.0 | 1.8 | <.001b | |||
| During third trimester of pregnancy, % | ||||||
| Smoked about the same (vs current use) | 64.7 | 12.6 | ||||
| Smoked less (vs current use) | 7.8 | 9.0 | ||||
| Smoked more (vs current use) | 3.9 | 3.6 | ||||
| Did not smoke | 23.5 | 73.0 | ||||
| Stopped during this trimester | 0.0 | 1.8 | <.001b | |||
| Current drinker and smoker, % | 73.6 | 11.2 | <.001b (22.07) | |||
Note. Sample sizes for drinking behavior were mothers of children with FAS, total sample, n = 53; mothers of children with FAS, drinkers only, n = 35; control mothers, total sample, n = 109; control mothers, drinkers only, n = 19. Sample sizes for smoking behavior were: mothers of children with FAS, total sample, n = 52; mothers of children with FAS. smokers only, n = 34; control mothers, total sample, n = 99; control mothers, smokers only, n = 33.
at test.
bχ2 test.
cAlthough 37 of the 53 women interviewed reported that they were current drinkers, only 35 had consumed alcohol during the past week. Therefore, the data on current quantity and frequency are based on the responses of the 35 women who reported current drinking.
dFour women whose children were diagnosed with FAS did not admit to drinking during the index pregnancy. When this inconsistency was revealed during the diagnostic case conferences, these women’s children were reassessed. In 2003, 2 dysmorphologists confirmed diagnosis of FAS in each of the 4 cases, as did the doctors evaluating the results of psychological tests. Institute of Medicine criteria allow for a diagnosis of FAS without confirmation of maternal drinking.
ePercentage of beverages reported as favorites and reported as consumed exceeded 100%, because some mothers reported 2 favorites.