Characteristics of pregnant women who engage in binge alcohol consumption

 
Table 1: Demographic characteristics of pregnant women attending or contacting the Motherisk Program and, for socioeconomic status, their male partners
Characteristic Groupp value
Binge drinkers
n = 272*
Control women
n = 272*
Mean age, yr (and standard deviation [SD]) 27.9(5.6)30.0 (5.1)< 0.0001
Single, no. (and %) 59(54.6)13(12.2)< 0.0001
Ethnic background, no. (and %) n = 85 n = 91  < 0.004
White 79(92.9)63(69.2) 
Oriental 2(2.4)9(9.9) 
East Indian 1(1.2)8(8.8) 
Black 2(2.4)8(8.8) 
Hispanic 1(1.2)1(1.1) 
Other 0 2(2.2) 
Mean gravidity (and SD) 2.14(1.3)2.10(1.4)0.73
Mean parity (and SD) 0.57(0.9)0.68(0.9)0.14
Mean no. of previous abortions per woman (and SD)      
Elective 0.34(0.7)0.19(0.5)< 0.009
Spontaneous 0.23(0.6)0.27(0.7)0.51
Mean gestational age at contact, wk (and SD) 8.4(6.2)10.9(8.3)< 0.0001
Socioeconomic status, no. (and %)      
Women n = 109 n = 113 0.35
Student 13(11.9)6(5.3) 
Housewife 22(20.2)32(28.3) 
Unskilled labourer 14(12.8)13(11.4) 
Skilled labourer 40(36.7)42(37.2) 
Professional 20(18.4)20(17.7) 
Male partners n = 109 n = 106 < 0.0007
Student 7(6.3)3(2.8) 
Unemployed 7(6.3)6(5.7) 
Unskilled labourer 26(23.9)32(34.9) 
Skilled labourer42 (38.5)16(15.1) 
Professional27 (24.8)44(41.5) 
*Information was not available for each woman in every category. The denominator varied from 85 to 270. Denominators are supplied for some rates.

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| CMAJ March 15, 1997 (vol 156, no 6) / JAMC le 15 mars 1997 (vol 156, no 6) |
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