ANSIRH is working collaboratively with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) and the Alcohol Research Group (ARG) to assess intended and unintended effects of state-level policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy and whether effects vary by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES). This study uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Natality Birth Data, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s (NIAAA) Alcohol Policy Information System, and other policy data sources in its analysis. Findings from this study will be used to inform ongoing policy debates as well as advocacy and professional education efforts by maternal and child health professionals and obstetricians and gynecologists.
Dr. Sarah Roberts discusses her research on policies related to alcohol and drug use during pregnancy in the United States.
Completed studies:
- The Presence and Consequences of Abortion Aversion in Scientific Research Related to Alcohol Use during Pregnancy
- Impact of policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy varies by race
- Policies targeting alcohol use in pregnancy harm instead of help
- State policies targeting alcohol use in pregnancy result in worse birth outcomes
- Policies to decrease alcohol use during pregnancy may not work as intended
- Alcohol and pregnancy policies have different effects by race/ethnicity
- Laws targeting drug use in pregnancy have become more punitive
- States with more punitive laws on alcohol use during pregnancy have more laws limiting reproductive rights
Issue Briefs
Infographics
- Do warnings about drinking during pregnancy work?
- Policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy are increasingly punitive
- A public health approach to addressing alcohol and drug use in pregnancy
- Policies Targeting Alcohol and Drug Use During Pregnancy Cause Harm
The research referenced on this page was supported by the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health [Grant R01AA023267], by the University of California, San Francisco, California Preterm Birth Initiative, funded by Marc and Lynne Benioff, and other private foundations. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or other funders.