BIPS Institute Seminar: Community-based counseling against alcohol consumption during pregnancy

At the BIPS Institute Seminar, Petal Petersen Williams presented a community-based counseling program that addresses alcohol consumption during pregnancy in South Africa. The presentation on August 27, 2025, focused on CAP-Pre (Counseling for Alcohol Problems in Pregnancy) – an intervention based on evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches and implemented by trained community health workers.

The starting point is the high prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the resulting fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, especially in low-income regions of the Western Cape. Petersen Williams explained how CAP-Pre addresses barriers such as stigmatization and limited access to health care with five structured counseling sessions, supported by a culturally adapted workbook. The program was developed in a participatory manner and integrates elements of motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and problem-solving therapy.

Based on experiences from piloting in communities around Cape Town, she presented initial findings on the feasibility and acceptance of the program, as well as prospects for integration into existing care systems and subsequent scaling. The prerequisites for sustainable implementation in the healthcare system were also discussed.

Petal Petersen Williams is Associate Professor Extraordinary in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University, Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council, and Research Fellow at the University of York. The seminar was hosted by Prof. Dr. Daniela Fuhr.