Estimates of prenatal abstinence from alcohol: A matter of perspective

Abstinence from alcohol has been recommended for both pregnant and pre-conceptional women. The purpose of this study is to compare self and partner reports of abstinence from alcohol in a sample of 253 pregnant women who were T-ACE (Tolerance, Annoy, Cut-down, Eye-opener) alcohol screen positive. Dyads' reports of the women's abstinence from alcohol before, during, and after pregnancy were compared. Based on their own self-report, less than 20% of the pregnant women were abstinent in their first trimester and about half were abstinent for the rest of their pregnancy. Partners significantly over-estimated the women's abstinence from alcohol at all points except in the post-partum period when the dyad had the highest rate of agreement (85.4%). Reasons for the discrepancies in the self and partner reports of prenatal abstinence, and how partners might influence such behavior remain speculative, but identify areas for future research and prevention.