In contrast, more than nine out of ten mothers said they had never drunk alcohol during their last pregnancy.
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More than 10% of women smoked throughout their pregnancy, a proportion that has been stable for several years, and around 7% (less than before) consumed alcohol, according to a study published Monday, September 9 by Santé publique France. It is recommended not to consume alcohol or smoke during pregnancy, to avoid serious potential consequences on the health of the mother and that of the unborn child.
Of all mothers of children aged 5 or under in 2021, “13% of them say they smoked throughout their pregnancy”estimates the study, which is based on data from the 2021 Public Health France barometer. Nearly a quarter of mothers of children aged 5 or under in 2021 smoked when they learned they were pregnant.
Among them, 45% said they had stopped as soon as they found out they were pregnant or during their pregnancy, 51% had reduced the amount they smoked without stopping and 4% had neither stopped nor reduced their consumption. These proportions have not changed significantly compared to the 2017 estimates, the latest ones, the public agency observed.
On the other hand, for alcohol consumption during pregnancy, it appeared “a downward trend compared to the situation in 2017”according to the study’s authors. More than nine out of ten mothers (93%) reported in 2021 that they had never drunk alcohol during their last pregnancy, compared to 88% in 2017.
“But 7% said they had drunk in 2021, even if it was just a few sips.”note the authors of the study by Public Health France. In detail, 6% of them said they had consumed alcohol only on special occasions and less than 1% more than once a month.
Faced with this observation, Public Health France judges “It is important to continue prevention efforts and to support women who may have difficulty with substance use during their pregnancy, because the number of women and children affected is far from anecdotal.”