Care during pregnancy
May 20, 2011
Education and support for teenagers about the health issues associated with pregnancy is vital if we are to give new born babies the best chance in life.
Federal Member for Murray Dr Sharman Stone said the recent data showing Shepparton has double the Victorian teenage pregnancy rate is of great concern when you also consider how many of those teenagers are binge or regularly drinking.
“Drinking alcohol during pregnancy exposes the unborn baby to the risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FASD is the greatest cause of non-genetic permanent intellectual and physical disability in newborns in Australia,” Sharman Stone said.
Dr Stone has recently created a bi-partisan group of Parliamentarians and Senators to address FASD and how to eradicate it.
“A study undertaken by the Western Australian Department of Health has found that about 40 per cent of pregnancies are not planned. The big fear is that pregnant mothers who drink alcohol put their unborn baby at great risk of permanent brain damage.
“Drinking during the first trimester is the most dangerous time for damaging the baby’s brain and other parts of the developing baby. Another important factor is the intensity of the alcohol exposure. Binge drinking will substantially increase the risk of harm to the unborn baby but even low levels of alcohol consumption during critical times of fetal development cause brain damage.
“The National Health and Medical Research Council has recommended zero alcohol consumption during pregnancy, however 60% of women do drink before their baby is born.
“Some health professionals have limited knowledge of FASD and many are reluctant to make a diagnosis for fear of stigmatising the family or simply getting it wrong.
“The real tragedy is that FASD is both a permanent at-birth disability and is totally preventable,” Sharman Stone said.
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