Impact of maternal negative affectivity on light alcohol use and binge drinking during pregnancy.

Objectives: To investigate whether maternal negative affectivity, a tendency to frequent negative emotions and views, is associated with light alcohol use and binge drinking during pregnancy.

Design: Cohort.

Setting: Norway 1999-2008.

Population: The study includes complete information on 66 111 pregnant women and their partners.

Methods: We used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study (MoBa) representing 39% of the pregnant population.

Main Outcome Measures: Light alcohol use (0.5-2 units one to four times per month) and binge drinking (an intake of 5 alcohol units or more) measured with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C).

Results: For each unit increase in maternal negative affectivity the odds for light alcohol use increased with 27% in the first trimester [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.36], and 28% in the second trimester (95% CI 1.18-1.39). With respect to binge drinking, each unit increase in maternal negative affectivity was associated with 55% higher odds in the first trimester (95% CI 1.44-1.67), and 114% higher odds in the second trimester (95% CI 1.70-2.69).

Conclusions: Negative affectivity is associated with both light alcohol use and binge drinking during pregnancy. The mechanisms mediating the relation between negative affectivity and alcohol use in pregnancy should be investigated further.