No alcohol in pregnancy safest choice

Australian child health researchers have come out in support of new official national guidelines advising against alcohol in pregnancy and urged community support to help women avoid alcohol in pregnancy and if planning a pregnancy.

The research team has also produced a new resource manual for health professionals in regard to alcohol problems in pregnancy.

Professor Carol Bower, who heads the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project based at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Western Australia said the new National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines advising against alcohol during pregnancy sent an important message.

“There is no doubt that avoiding alcohol is the safest choice for women who want to ensure that their babies are not affected by alcohol before birth,” Professor Bower said.

“Women need to be supported in this choice rather than being falsely reassured that alcohol won’t cause any harm. The bottom line is that there is no research that enables us to guarantee to women what quantity of alcohol is safe at any time during pregnancy.”

Professor Bower said that women who had consumed alcohol already during their pregnancy should not be alarmed, but should discuss any concerns with their health professional.

“We also encourage health professionals to routinely ask women about their drinking habits so that they can ensure that their patients are aware of these important guidelines and the consequences of alcohol use during pregnancy.”

The consequences of alcohol use in pregnancy may include physical, mental, behavioural, and learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a general term that describes the range of effects that can occur in an individual who was exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.

The Alcohol and Pregnancy Project (www.childhealthresearch.com.au/alcoholandpregnancy) has been made possible by funding from Healthway and the (Australian) National Health and Medical Research Council.

The new guidelines can be found at: www.nhmrc.gov.au