The image of a pregnant woman lighting up or taking a swig of a beer is not a common one; women are not supposed to drink or smoke while pregnant. Many studies have shown the negative consequences these behaviors can have on a baby.

Until recently, the usage of these substances by males has not been looked at. UW researchers recently gathered data to investigate the influence males had on pregnant women.

“Everybody kind of knows it’s bad for a pregnant woman to smoke and drink,” said Jennifer Bailey, a UW research scientist and lead author of the study. “No one has looked at a month-by-month level at how much pregnant women were drinking heavily, smoking cigarettes or smoking marijuana. No one has looked at dads.”

In other words, they wanted to look at the fathers and see what their substance use was like while their partners were pregnant, as well as gain more detail about the mothers’ use.

Bailey said the results were surprising to her in a couple ways.

“It was surprising that dads didn’t really change behavior at all, even after the child was born,” she said. “Also [surprising was] how many moms continued to smoke … while pregnant. Eight to 9 percent of moms used marijuana while pregnant.”

The results showed that men’s substance use remained consistent whether the female was pregnant or not; this has a negative effect for the women because they are than more likely to begin using again.

“The months after childbirth are critical for intervening with mothers,” Bailey said in a press release. “For example, many already have done the hard work of quitting smoking and haven’t smoked a cigarette in six months or more. … However, we know if Dad is smoking or drinking it is more likely that Mom will resume smoking or drinking.”

According to a press release, 77 percent of women cigarette smokers and 50 percent of the women who smoked marijuana used those substances at some time during pregnancy. Upon giving birth, the rates of smoking and drinking began to rise within the first six months of having the baby.

The method of gathering this information was a challenge in itself. The researchers used life history calendars and a longitudinal period. Previous research had looked at several different mothers throughout different stages of their pregnancies.

This research has followed the same group of participants since 1985, when they were in elementary school. They participated in a survey and interview every year until they were 18. Once they turned 18, they were surveyed every three years.

According to a press release, participants were asked about their month-by-month incidences of binge drinking, as well as their use of cigarettes and marijuana. In addition, they answered questions about various life events, such as moving or having a child.

The future of this ongoing study is unknown, because it is funded by the federal government in five-year chunks.

“We are at the end of one chunk and are trying to get another,” Bailey said.

[Reach reporter Shannon O’Hara at news@thedaily.washington.edu]