Calls for women to stop drinking while pregnant as figures show two babies are born in South Australia every day with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder

The alarming number of children born with brain damage in South Australia prompts calls for pregnant women to stop drinking.

Concerns are growing that two children a day are born in South Australia with brain damage caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Leading medical and public health bodies are calling for more work to be done to address Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) after it was revealed Australia has one of the highest rates of alcohol use during pregnancy in the world.

Children and adults suffering with the disorder can often display learning difficulties, impulsiveness, being disorganised and easily distracted, failure to understand consequences, inappropriate sexual behaviour and have trouble making friends.

In South Australia, research has estimated 838 children are born each year with the disorder.

Centre Alliance Senator Stirling Griff is pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into the disorder, arguing many mothers do not know about the risks of drinking while pregnant.

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“They are misinformed about the risks because they’ve received outdated advice from well-meaning friends, relatives and even medical professionals,” Senator Griff, pictured, said.

“Australia desperately need a national information campaign to tell women and their loved ones of the dangers of alcohol use in pregnancy.

“If we want women to stop drinking in pregnancy, we all need to empower them to make this safe and necessary choice.”

Federal health guidelines say the safest option for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding is to not drink any alcohol.

NOFASD Australia founder Sue Miers told The Advertiser only about one in two children suffering the disorder have physical indicators, which often include a low nasal bridge, minor ear abnormalities, a short nose and thin upper lip.

“The developing foetus is vulnerable to harm from alcohol exposure for the whole of the pregnancy – that is from conception to birth,” she said.

“What we do know is that approximately 50 per cent of pregnancies are unplanned and if those women have been drinking, the pregnancy has been exposed to alcohol at a very critical time for foetal development. The alcohol causes changes to their brain development. At school these are the kids with behaviour disorders because they react so readily to other things that other children do not.”

NOFASD Australia, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and the National Rural Health Alliance all support an urgent inquiry into FASD.

Originally published as Calls for women to stop drinking while pregnant as figures show two babies are born in South Australia every day with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder