Healthy Lifestyle: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – A warning to all mums
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is one of the main preventable causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities. It is now known that there is simply no safe amount of alcohol that can be drunk during pregnancy. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol so does her baby.
The birth defects and developmental disabilities that are caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy are called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). These disorders cause lifelong problems regarding how those affected will look, grow, think, and act throughout infancy, childhood and adulthood. No one in good conscience would purposely inflict that on any child, but every day women casually do exactly that through the choices they are making.
The Spectrum starts with mild and subtle changes, such as slight learning disabilities and/or a physical abnormality, then gets progressively worse until finally expressed as total Fetal Alcohol Syndrome – which can include severe learning disabilities, growth deficiencies, abnormal facial features, behavioural, intellectual and central nervous system disorders.
Because there seems to be a societal state of denial about the actual risks of alcohol, the use of alcohol in Australia is the norm. Everyone should learn the dangers so that we can better teach our children, influence our community, and share our knowledge and concern when we see young women drinking and binging as part of their usual lifestyle. Recent NSW legislation requiring the risks to be on the label of any alcoholic beverage are well intentioned but by the time the bottle is being opened and passed among friends is probably too late; women need to be taught the risks as children, and be prepared in advance to say ‘no thank you’.
As it is estimated that about half of pregnancies are unplanned, women may be drinking heavily during the first few months of their pregnancies without even realising they are pregnant. Therefore all women of childbearing age should be made acutely aware of their responsibility in this regard and be supported by their friends, family and the community in doing the right thing for the next generation.
The only good news about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is that they are totally preventable – when a woman does not drink alcohol during her pregnancy. If you are interested in learning more about this issue the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Related Disorders based in Adelaide provides information, advocacy, education and support to families, carers and those working with or affected by these disorders on their website.
For more information, visit: http://www.nofasard.org/, http://www.surgeongeneral.gov