Push for mandatory warning labels on alcohol for pregnant and breastfeeding women

A PUSH for mandatory health warnings on alcohol for pregnant and breastfeeding women will be supported by Victoria at a meeting of health and food chiefs.

A PUSH for mandatory health warnings on alcohol for pregnant and breastfeeding women will be supported by Victoria at a meeting of health and food chiefs tomorrow.

It joins Western Australia and the ACT governments in the move to overturn the existing voluntary system where alcohol producers can choose whether to include a warning label on bottles or cans.

BOOZY MUMS HARMING UNBORN BABIES

DRINK WARNING FOR ‘SMART’ MUMS-TO-BE

Health Minister Jill Hennessy said introducing mandatory warning labels was the right thing to do.

“We know that alcohol ­consumed by pregnant mothers can harm their babies,” Ms Hennessy said.

“Mothers should have all the information they need to make informed choices while pregnant.”

About 40 per cent of women still consume alcohol while pregnant.

Mandatory labelling will be considered at the Australian and New Zealand ministerial forum on food regulation today.

Alcohol consumption can harm the developing foetus and the National Health and Medical Research Council advises women that not drinking during pregnancy and breast- feeding is the safest option.

About 40 per cent of women still consume alcohol while pregnant, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

A survey of more than 1500 women by Murdoch Childrens Research Institute published last year found just over a quarter drank only in the first trimester and most of them stopped once they realised they were pregnant.

WA GOVT WANTS ALCOHOL PREGNANCY WARNING

Almost a third of women continued to drink alcohol at some level throughout the pregnancy.

Jill Hennessy. Picture: Chris Eastman

Alcohol Beverages Australia executive director Fergus Taylor said 98 per cent of women either stopped drinking altogether or significantly cut back when they found out they were pregnant.

This figure was derived from the AIHW where 55 per cent of pregnant women said they don’t drink at all and 43 per cent said they drank less.

“Labelling only plays a small role in this widespread awareness, but the alcohol beverages industry is proud of the voluntary work it’s done to increase its coverage,” he said.

“The next phase in this battle should be industry and state governments working with the federal government to co-ordinate existing foetal alcohol spectrum disorders programs and develop a national strategy that targets the problem where it’s still occurring.”

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are lifelong conditions relating to permanent brain damage caused by foetal alcohol exposure.

A Deakin University-led study in 2015 found there was low awareness of the current alcohol warning labels, and graphic and highly visible warnings on the front of products had the potential to reduce alcohol consumption.

[e-mail]

@Lucie_VDB