THE AI WOMAN, ANALYSIS OF ALCOHOLISM & PREGNANCY 1
AI = American Indian
FAS = Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
There is limited research with respect to the specifics of alcoholism, and much more
stereotyping by people, outside of this population, in the United States thus making the
prevalence rates that do exist somewhat capricious (Gray and Nye 2001). But, the death rates
related to alcohol in this community can be quantified. As a matter of fact, they die, from alcohol
–related causes, four times more than any other group in the US (First Peoples Worldwide).
Alcohol is at the center of 90% of all homicides in the AI community. Further, the American
Indian is more susceptible to alcoholism due to genocide, discriminatory laws, and substandard
education, the abolishment of their language and tradition, and their cultural pride that
diminishes with each generation (First Peoples Worldwide). Unfortunately, these effects are
multiplied for the AI woman. The AI woman has a high rate of domestic abuse, low employment
rates, psychological problems and physiological limitations, which in turn perpetuates alcohol
use at an early age, and risky sexual behavior and pregnancy. All of which leads to fetal alcohol
syndrome.
The statistics, for FAS, vary across ethnic groups in the United States. And, the contrast
between this population and other groups are startling.
FAS births per 10 thousand births
(First Peoples Worldwide)
Asian-Americans = 0.3 Hispanics = 0.8 White Americans = 0.9
Black Americans = 6.0 American Indians = 29.9
Among AI tribes there are variations as well, per one Thousand births the Navajo = 1.6, Pueblo
Indians = 2.2 and Southwestern Plains Indians 10.7 FAS births. The higher the numbers
correlate to how much persecution that tribe endured in this country.
THE AI WOMAN, ANALYSIS OF ALCOHOLISM & PREGNANCY 2
The substance use patterns and prevalence rates for the AI community are unreliable and
even worse for women but there are patterns of substance abuse that are generational and that
correlate to the woman’s environment. Also, AI men tend to drink more than the women, but
when women have a drinking problem they are more likely to engage in polydrug use according
to Gray and Nye 2001. Although there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for a pregnant
woman, women that drink four or more drinks in one setting increase the likelihood of FAS
(Montag et al 2012).
Women in urban settings were found to be at greater risk to drink than women in rural, or
reservation, settings (Whitesell, beals, Crow, Mitchell and Novins 2012). According to these
authors, the AI population is at increased risk due to biological factors. They say AI people are
