Women's views on pregnancy and alcohol version 1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Alcohol consumption and social contexts during pregnancy and the postnatal period - a qualitative, longitudinal study

• IRAS ID

  228272

• Contact name

  Elaine Carnegie

• Contact email

  e.carnegie@napier.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Edinburgh Napier University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 4 days

• Research summary

  This study aims to explore the views and experiences of women who drink during pregnancy. Women can take part if they:

  • are pregnant, or have a child who is younger than school age (0-6 years old), and
  • score/would have scored above the cut-off point on the antenatal screening tool, and
  • carried on drinking after their first appointment with the midwife.

  The focus of this study is on exploring how various aspects of women’s lives intersect with one another and with alcohol consumption, in order to inform policy and practice in relation to the care of pregnant women who drink alcohol.
  Women in Scotland are advised not to drink during pregnancy, but many women drink when they are pregnant, for all different reasons. Research about drinking during pregnancy has not usually asked women who drink during pregnancy what they think. It is important to know what women think about drinking, and what life is like for them, because this may affect the type of support that would be helpful for them.

  The study aims to recruit across NHS Lothian, Tayside, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Fife, Borders and Forth Valley. Women will be invited to take part by their direct care worker and will be asked to take part in two interviews and a photo task, asking them about their health and social circumstances, pregnancy and being a parent, their drinking, and their experiences of health and social care services. The two interviews will be around 6 months apart, so the research will explore whether anything has changed for participants between the two interviews.

  The findings from the study may help to develop better policies and services for women and families in the future.

• REC name

  South East Scotland REC 01

• REC reference

  18/SS/0003

• Date of REC Opinion

  26 Jan 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion