Lack of consensus between general practitioners and official guidelines on alcohol abstinence during pregnancy

INTRODUCTION: Many pregnant women in Denmark have been advised that some alcohol intake is acceptable. In the 1999-2007-period, the Danish National Board of Health advised pregnant women that some alcohol intake was acceptable. From 2007, alcohol abstinence has been recommended. We aimed to describe the attitudes towards and knowledge about alcohol in pregnancy among general practitioners (GPs) in Denmark in 2000 and in 2009. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2000, we invited a representative sample of GPs in the catchment area of the Antenatal Care Centre in Aarhus to participate in the study. Participants were interviewed about their attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and information practice in relation to alcohol in pregnancy. Identical questions were sent to all GPs in the area in 2009. RESULTS: In 2000, most GPs (71%) considered that some alcohol intake in pregnancy was acceptable, mostly on a weekly level. There was considerable inter-person variation in the participants' attitudes and recommendations to pregnant women. In 2009, significantly more GPs (51%) considered abstinence to be preferable, and significantly more GPs (53%) gave this advice to pregnant women than in 2000. Their knowledge about the official recommendations on alcohol was good. Older GPs were more likely to recommend abstinence. CONCLUSIONS: The attitudes towards and knowledge about drinking in pregnancy among GPs have changed along with the change in official policy.