The Value of Early Screening in Pregnant Women Who Consume Alcohol: An Integrative Review

Written by William E. C. Chu, Jennifer A. Carroll, Aderinsola T. Aladenika, Sarah T. Kalista, & Edmund J. Y. Pajarillo

doi: https://doi.org/10.13178/jnparr. 2023.13.01.1308

Abstract

Background: Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a health problem that affects 2.3% of the global population and can lead to lifelong issues with growth and development. Early screening of mothers for prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can help promote abstinence as well as prevent FAS and other complications. As frontline healthcare professionals, nurses play a significant role in disease prevention and patient education. With appropriate early screening tools, nurses can intervene and educate mothers to help reduce the occurrence of FAS.

Objectives: The purpose of this integrative review was to identify and examine quantitative and qualitative studies that focused on the benefits of early screening in pregnant mothers who consumed alcohol. This review aimed to determine if early screening decreased the prevalence of FAS and how these tools were best applied.

Methods: A search of relevant records between September and December 2022 was performed to conduct an integrative review of FAS and PAE. The following databases were used in the literature search: MEDLINE, MEDLINE with Full Text, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Complete, eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson), and OneSearch.

Results: The majority of the 11 articles examined in this integrative review indicated that early screening for alcohol consumption in pregnant women indirectly led to reduced prevalence of FAS when paired with other targeted interventions. However, no single screening tool was universally used for pregnant women.

Conclusions: This integrative review shows that most screening tools can be used effectively to detect PAE, foster more awareness in pregnant women, and reduce the incidence of FAS. Screening tools, blood biomarkers, and interventions can be used collectively to reduce the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy and the risk of FAS.

Keywords: fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, FAS prevalence, alcohol screening during pregnancy, TWEAK screening