Alcohol use during pregnancy

This web page provides links to information and tools for midwives and other maternity clinicians on alcohol use and pregnancy and to support services that may be beneficial for their clients.

Key links

Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol

Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care

AUDIT-C Screening Tool

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Guidelines Expand

Organisation	Resource	Description
Australian College of Midwives	Want to Know: Pregnancy and Alcohol	The Australian College of Midwives proves a free online training for people who want to understand more about alcohol and pregnancy. This links provides instructions on how to enrol in their 'Want to Know: Pregnancy and Alcohol course'.
Australian Government Department of Health	Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care	National guidelines for healthcare providers in the provision of evidence-based maternity care in Australia
South Australian Department of Health	South Australian Perinatal Practices Guidelines – Substance use in Pregnancy	Guidelines for the health care providers supporting women with substance use issues during pregnancy.
Government of Western Australia	Antenatal Shared Care Guidelines for General Practitioners	Guidelines for general practitioners and other maternity care providers involved in low-risk pregnancies for women in Western Australia.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre	Supporting pregnant women who use alcohol or other drugs: A guide for primary health care professionals	Guidelines to assist maternity care clinicians in identifying pregnant women who use alcohol and other drugs and responding to the needs of these women and their babies.
National Health and Medical Research Council	Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol	Guidelines for the Australian community regarding the risks associated with alcohol consumption to inform individual decision-making. These also include a chapter on pregnancy and breastfeeding.
NSW Ministry of Health	Guidelines for the Management of Substance Use During Pregnancy Birth and the Postnatal Period	These guidelines support and provide best practice advice to health professionals in the management of drug use during pregnancy, birth and early development years of the newborn.
Queensland Department of Health	Queensland Clinical Guidelines: Perinatal substance use: maternal [PDF]	Guidelines for health professionals in Queensland providing best practice advice in the management of alcohol and drug use during pregnancy.
World Health Organisation	Guidelines for the identification and management of substance use and substance use disorders in pregnancy	Guidelines for health professionals that provide best practice advice in the management of alcohol and drug use during pregnancy, birth and early years.

Screening tools Expand

Organisation	Resource	Description
Department of Health	Information for health professionals on assessing alcohol consumption in pregnancy using AUDIT-C	Provides information for health professionals on assessing alcohol consumption in pregnancy using AUDIT-C
NDARC	Quick Guide: Identifying women at risk from alcohol, smoking or other drug use during pregnancy	Provides information of administering the AUDIT-C screening tool, as well as information on a brief intervention for those identified as at risk. Also provides information on brief interventions for smoking cessation.

Resources for pregnant women Expand

Organisation	Resource	Description
Better Health Channel, Government of Victoria	Pregnancy—medication, drugs and alcohol	Advice for women regarding alcohol and other drug use during pregnancy, including advice on conducting conversations with healthcare providers.
Australian Government Department of Health	Information for women	Information for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy regarding alcohol use during pregnancy.
Government of Western Australia	Drug and alcohol use during pregnancy	Information for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy regarding alcohol use during pregnancy.
Remote Alcohol & Other Drugs Workforce Program	Yarning about Alcohol and Pregnancy [PDF]	This brochure provides information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women about the health risks of alcohol use during pregnancy.
Royal Hospital for Women	Mothersafe	Mothersafe provide a free telephone service to women in NSW to discuss alcohol and other drug use during pregnancy.
The Royal Women’s Hospital	Women with alcohol and drug problems	The Women's Alcohol and Drug Service provides support to pregnant women in Victoria with alcohol and other drug issues during pregnancy.

Referral services Expand

Organisation	Resource	Description
Australian Drug Information Network	Help and support services	A directory of alcohol and other drug services across Australia.
Health Direct	Drug and alcohol rehabilitation	Information on types of alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs and contact information for services across Australia. Not pregnancy specific.
NSW Users and AIDS Association	Just For Women: A NSW Drug & Alcohol Service Directory	A directory of service supporting women who use alcohol and other drugs. Not pregnancy specific.

Other resources Expand

Organisation	Resource	Description
FASD Hub Australia	FASD Hub - For Health professionals	Provides information for health professions on assessing, diagnosing and managing FASD.
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre	Supporting Pregnant Women Who Use Alcohol or Other Drugs: a review of the evidence	These guidelines provide evidence regarding the risks of alcohol consumption for the Australian population. They include a chapter on pregnancy and breastfeeding and alcohol consumption.
RANZCOG	Substance Use in Pregnancy [PDF]	The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists position statement that provides a summary of the issue of alcohol use in pregnancy as well as links to other resources for health professionals.
South Adelaide Health Service	Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders—A Guide for Midwives	Guidelines for midwives on the identification and management of FASD.
Telethon Kids Institute & University of Sydney	The Australian Guide to the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)	The Australian Guide to the Diagnosis of FASD was produced to assist clinicians in the diagnosis, referral and management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

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