A new campaign launched in the Republic of Ireland aims to warn pregnant women of the dangers that drinking alcohol can have on their unborn child.
Working with the charity, the three largest maternity hospitals in the country aim to highlight the risks of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
The hospitals involved in the campaign are Rotunda, the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital.
"Children born with FAS are those who have been exposed to high levels of alcohol throughout the pregnancy and can experience problems with their growth, facial defects, as well as life-long learning and behavioural problems,” said Mary Brosnan, Director of Midwifery and Nursing at the Dublin-based National Maternity Hospital.
She added that the symptoms of FASD can be less obvious, including issues with sight, hearing, and concentration.
Alcohol Action Ireland’s Advocacy Officer Catherine Kane said that women continue to drink during pregnancy as they receive conflicting advice from different sources, such as confusion over the exact level of alcohol that may cause damage to an unborn child.
“This lack of clarity is another good reason to avoid alcohol completely, because as there is no known ‘safe’ level of alcohol during pregnancy then the safest thing to do is not drink at all,” she said.
Studies in the United States suggest that FAS is present in as many as every two births per 1000.
