Prevalence and factors associated with alcohol use among pregnant adolescents

Aim: to identify alcohol use and the associated factors in pregnant adolescents of the municipality of Teresina-PI. Method: this is cross-sectional study with 256 pregnant adolescents whose data were obtained through questionnaires covering socioeconomic, pregnancy and alcohol consumption characteristics and through the application of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, an instrument developed by the World Health Organization for screening for the excessive use of alcohol. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test and odds ratio. Results: the study indicates a prevalence of 32.4% for alcohol use during pregnancy in adolescents. Of these, 36.1% had scores consistent with risky use. The factors associated with an increased risk of alcohol use during pregnancy are: not having a partner, living on less than 1 minimum wage, not being religious, performing up to 3 prenatal consultations, having suffered violence and alcohol use in previous pregnancies. Conclusion: a high prevalence of alcohol consumption by pregnant adolescents and various risk factors involved in this process were identified. These data reflect the need for the use, by nurses, of screening technologies for alcohol consumption during pregnancy and health promotion strategies among groups of adolescents.