Limiting alcohol exposure during pregnancy is an important part of pregnancy educational goals. Recent studies have proven multi-session programs work to reduce overall alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEP) occurrences, but attending multiple sessions is not always a viable option for pregnant women. Researchers from the Center for Addiction Research and Education from the University of Virginia recently published a study in the Journal of Substance Abuse and Treatment on the outcome of a single session intervention.

According to researchers, 217 women were included in the study. The results of the single session program were compared to previous research results from multi-session programs. While overall AEP and ineffective contraception rates dropped after just one session, the number of drinks per day drinking was not affected.

Conclusion: Single session AEP education meetings may be a viable option to reduce ineffective contraception use and overall AEP, but the number of drinks pregnant women consume when drinking is not changed; contrary to the results of multiple session interventions.

Source: Ingersoll KS, Ceperich SD, Hettema JE, Farrell-Carnahan L, Penberthy JK. Preconceptional motivational interviewing interventions to reduce alcohol-exposed pregnancy risk. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2013 Apr;44(4):407-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2012.10.001. Epub 2012 Nov 26.

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