Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26152324›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2015

Prevalence and predictors of alcohol use during pregnancy: findings from international multicentre cohort studies.

Linda M O'Keeffe, Patricia M Kearney, Fergus P McCarthy, Ali S Khashan, Richard A Greene, Robyn A North, Lucilla Poston, Lesley M E McCowan, Philip N Baker, Gus A Dekker and 3 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
55citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

55 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Birth outcomes following intrauterine exposure to electronic nicotine delivery systems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Alcohol Use in Pregnancy and Miscarriage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2019
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Trial
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Linda M O'KeeffeNational Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Patricia M KearneyDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Fergus P McCarthyThe Irish Centre for Foetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Ali S KhashanDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland The Irish Centre for Foetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Richard A GreeneNational Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland.
Robyn A NorthDivision of Women's Health, Women's Health Academic Centre, King's College London, and King's Health Partners, London, UK.
Lucilla PostonDivision of Women's Health, Women's Health Academic Centre, King's College London, and King's Health Partners, London, UK.
Lesley M E McCowanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, South Auckland Clinical School, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Philip N BakerNational Centre for Growth & Development and Maternal and Fetal Health, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland District Health Board and Counties Manukau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
Gus A DekkerWomen's and Children's Division Lyell McEwin Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia.
James J WalkerSt James University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
Rennae TaylorDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Louise C KennyThe Irish Centre for Foetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council GT084
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo compare the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use in multiple cohorts.

designCross-cohort comparison of retrospective and prospective studies.

settingPopulation-based studies in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

participants17,244 women of predominantly Caucasian origin from two Irish retrospective studies (Growing up in Ireland (GUI) and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Ireland (PRAMS Ireland)), and one multicentre prospective international cohort, Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of alcohol use pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy across cohorts. Sociodemographic factors associated with alcohol consumption in each cohort.

resultsAlcohol consumption during pregnancy in Ireland ranged from 20% in GUI to 80% in SCOPE, and from 40% to 80% in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Levels of exposure also varied substantially among drinkers in each cohort ranging from 70% consuming more than 1-2 units/week in the first trimester in SCOPE Ireland, to 46% and 15% in the retrospective studies. Smoking during pregnancy was the most consistent predictor of gestational alcohol use in all three cohorts, and smokers were 17% more likely to drink during pregnancy in SCOPE, relative risk (RR)=1.17 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.22), 50% more likely to drink during pregnancy in GUI, RR=1.50 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.65), and 42% more likely to drink in PRAMS, RR=1.42 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.70).

conclusionsOur data suggest that alcohol use during pregnancy is prevalent and socially pervasive in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. New policy and interventions are required to reduce alcohol prevalence both prior to and during pregnancy. Further research on biological markers and conventions for measuring alcohol use in pregnancy is required to improve the validity and reliability of prevalence estimates.

Indexed as

AdultAlcohol DrinkingAustraliaFemaleHealth BehaviorHumansIrelandLinear ModelsNew ZealandPopulation SurveillancePregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsPrognosisProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesRisk AssessmentEPIDEMIOLOGYOBSTETRICSPUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID26152324
PMCPMC4499685

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.