Affiliations: The Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism, 4 Nordau Street, Ramat‐Gan, 52464, Israel | Department of Neonatology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petach‐Tikva, 49100, Israel
Note: [] Address for correspondence: S. Weiss, D.Sc., The Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism, 4 Nordau Street, Ramat‐Gan, 52464, Israel.
Abstract: The article describes a study among all 2,477 pregnant women, who gave birth in Rabin Medical Center during November 1999–April 2000. Its purposes were to identify the scope of alcohol use during pregnancy, and check children prenatally exposed to alcohol (daily drinking/binge drinking) for possible alcohol effects. Upon arrival, the women were given the hospital non‐anonymous admission questionnaire, which included socio‐demographic and obstetric variables. Three questions related to cigarette smoking during pregnancy, alcohol use during pregnancy and alcohol use in the family were added. Those who drank were given another questionnaire, which included a question concerning the preferred type of alcoholic beverage, the TWEAK questionnaire, and three questions related to the frequency of drinking, the typical amounts consumed and the highest consumption level in each trimester. Relatively high rates of amnio centesis (26.52%), maternal‐serum alpha‐feto protein examination (72.22%), screening ultrasound (98.34%) and targeted ultrasound (27.77%) were found, and 8.8% reported smoking. However, in the light of the results of self‐report maternal alcohol use studies in various countries, and the fact that half of the Israeli women 18–40‐year‐old drink alcohol, the article tries to explain the reasons for the results obtained in the current study: abstinence among pregnant women (1.13% reported alcohol drinking during pregnancy) and nonexistence of alcohol drinking in the family (0.84% reported drinking by a family member), and suggests recommendations for future research.
Keywords: Fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol, pregnancy, Israel
