Toward Gender-inclusive, Nonjudgmental Alcohol Interventions for Pregnant People: Challenging Assumptions in Research and Treatment. Issue 5 (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lowik, A.J.; Knight, Rod
• Is Part Of: Journal of addiction medicine. Volume 13:Issue 5(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: alcohol -- pregnancy -- reproductive health -- transgender; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Substance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.86005
• DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000495
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1932-0620

Abstract

Abstract : N/A: Epidemiological and clinical evidence clearly indicates that binge and/or heavy alcohol use while pregnant can be dangerous for the fetus. As such, there is a large body of research evaluating interventions to address harms associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. Unfortunately, based on our assessment of the scientific literature in this area, including a reading of three high-impact systematic reviews, there are several key areas where the language being used is hindering efforts to address alcohol harms during pregnancy in nonjudgmental and gender-inclusive ways. In this commentary, we describe four areas where intervention research in this area can benefit from a thoughtful refinement of the use of gender-inclusive and nonjudgmental language. We also describe how, in failing to do so, interventions to address alcohol use during pregnancy will continue to be evaluated and designed without a sufficient understanding of how gender and reproduction are diverse, including among people who are experiencing wanted and/or planned pregnancies, unwanted and/or unplanned pregnancies, and among those who are surrogates.