One in eight new mothers in Wisconsin drinks excessively, putting their children’s health at risk, a study by UW-Madison researchers found.
The self-reported survey of 8,706 postpartum mothers found that 12 percent reported at-risk alcohol-related behaviors — consuming seven or more drinks per week or four or more drinks on a single occasion at least once in the past month.
“Maternal alcohol consumption has been linked to violence toward children, and the interaction of maternal alcohol use and lactation on infant development remains unclear,” the researchers reported in an article in the Wisconsin Medical Journal.