Is questionnaire-based alcohol counseling more effective for pregnant women than standard maternity care?
Objective: To compare current standard maternity care in Sweden concerning provision of alcohol advice with a more comprehensive questionnaire-based counseling model. Methods: The study population included pregnant women in Linkoping who were registered at a maternity care center during a 2-year period and whose pregnancies resulted in liveborn infants without birth defects, representing 93% of all pregnant women. Anonymous questionnaires were mailed to the women. The first cohort (registered April 2005 1, to March 31, 2006) received standard care according to a procedure that is common practice in Sweden. The second cohort (April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007) received alcohol advice based on a comprehensive counseling model, incorporating the use of the three-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) questionnaire and tailored counseling based on the AUDIT-C score. Results: The response rate was 61% in the first cohort (standard care) and 70% in the second cohort (question
