Table 6 Perceived benefits of screening and ABIs

Pregnancy may facilitate drinking behaviour change

There are not many other opportunities that women are told you shouldn’t be drinking. I think pregnancy is one of the times that women are more than happy to stop drinking, most women are more than happy to stop so it’s probably a good time to do brief intervention (M5).

Positive drinking behaviour change beyond pregnancy

At the moment, we are trying to discourage them from drinking in pregnancy. You are asking about their drinking habits beforehand which hopefully when they’ve not had alcohol for nine months, it’s easier to go back to a safe limit of alcohol than going back to your old habits because you’ve abstained from alcohol for nine months (M13).

Benefits for mother and baby

If she can stop alcohol and smoking and drugs and have a good diet and do all the positive stuff. And when the baby is born, hopefully he will be born into a smoke free home with parents who don’t drink excessively. It is going to give that child a much better chance. Financially, the woman can’t afford because quite often we are talking about a single mother, they don’t have a partner (M2).

Improved confidence to discuss alcohol issues

I think having done the course though, it makes you more confident to be able to ask them that. It is not just a case of oh well have you had a drink, why? You know (M3).