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FASD Trust calls for tougher guidelines on drinking during pregnancy

A report published today by the FASD Trust proposes to clear up confusion over current clinical guidelines on alcohol consumption for women during pregnancy.

Written with the aid of 70 medical professionals, the "Consensus Statement" on FASD calls for all expecting mothers to be warned of alcohol's potential to cause permanent brain damage and other defects. It also stress the need for a new approach to identify children exposed to alcohol in the womb so that they can be diagnosed as early as possible.

Conservative estimates suggest that 8,000 babies are born with FASD in Britain every year. But limited knowledge of the mother’s relationship to alcohol during pregnancy prevents doctors from diagnosing the condition at an earlier stage in the child’s development.

For more information on the Consensus Statement and to request a pdf copy, contact the organisation’s founder Simon Brown at the FASD Trust website.