SBIRT Screening in Primary Care of Women of Reproductive Age to Aid in the Identification of Alcohol Use Patterns Focusing On Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Exposure

Abstract

The over consumption of alcohol can directly correlate with negative effects on health and quality of life. When vulnerable subjects such as pregnant women and subsequently the fetus is alcohol exposed lifelong detrimental consequences can ensue such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Jones, Smith, Ulleland, & Streissguth, 1973). Although most women reduce their alcohol intake during pregnancy, 45% of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned (Finer & Zolna, 2016). The combination of social patterns of alcohol use in women of childbearing age and the prevalence of unintended pregnancy set the stage for an alcohol exposed fetus. Late recognition of an unintended pregnancy exposed a fetus to levels of alcohol capable of teratogenic effects (Balachova et al., 2015). Research asserts that prevention of alcohol-exposed pregnancies should begin before conception by identifying unhealthy drinking patterns among women of reproductive age. Alcohol screening and brief interventions in medical settings can significantly reduce alcohol use and potentially decrease the prevalence of a 100 % preventable condition such as FASD.