DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2007/0131) issued by The Government News Network on 25
May 2007
New health
guidance published today is advising pregnant women or those
trying to conceive to avoid alcohol.
The revised Department of Health advice says:
- Pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid
drinking alcohol.
- If they do choose to drink, to minimise
the risk to the baby, they should not drink more than one to two
units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk.
This new guidance has been introduced to provide stronger,
consistent advice for the whole of the UK.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Fiona Adshead said;
"We have strengthened our advice to women to help ensure
that no-one underestimates the risk to the developing foetus of
drinking above the recommended safe levels. Our advice is simple:
avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive. This advice could
also be included on alcohol packaging or labels.
"The advice now reflects the fact the many women give up
drinking alcohol completely during pregnancy. It is now
straightforward and stresses that it is better to avoid drinking
alcohol altogether."
The National Organisation on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome estimates
for the UK as a whole that there are more than 6,000 children born
each year with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Excessive alcohol can cause damage to the unborn baby at all
stages in pregnancy and of course many women don't confirm
they are pregnant until a number of weeks into the pregnancy.
Therefore, for women who are planning to conceive it makes sense
to avoid alcohol or limit their consumption to no more than 1-2
units once or twice a week.
Dr Sheila Shribman, the National Clinical Director for Children,
Young People and Maternity Services said:
"Alcohol and pregnancy advice is now consistent across the UK.
"Our last survey of pregnant women showed that nine per cent
were still drinking above the recommended levels. It is vital
that we alert pregnant women and women hoping to conceive about
the potential dangers of excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
"Although there is still scientific uncertainty about the
precise impact of excess alcohol on unborn babies we believe the
time is right to introduce a strong consistent approach across the
whole of the UK. This revised advice has been agreed by the four
Chief Medical Officers across the UK."
1. The previous advice in England was: pregnant women or women
trying to conceive should not drink more than one to two units of
alcohol once or twice a week and should avoid getting drunk.
2. The revised advice is not a result of new scientific evidence,
but is consistent with the current evidence. We have revised the
advice to make it easier to understand and to provide consistent
advice across the UK.
3. Last year the Department of Health commissioned the National
Perinatal Epidemiology Unit to undertake a review of existing
national and international evidence on the effects of alcohol on
the developing embryo, foetus and child. The principal findings
were that there is no consistent evidence that low to moderate
consumption of alcohol during pregnancy has any adverse effects
although there is some evidence that binge drinking can affect
neurodevelopment of the foetus.
4. While scientific basis for our advice has not changed, the
evidence base is not extensive and we believe it is possible the
previous advice could be misinterpreted by some that it is safe to
drink 'a little' when pregnant, where 'a
little' can differ from person to person. Most women do
actually stop drinking or drink very little in pregnancy, so a
slightly stronger message is aimed at those who do not reduce
their consumption to appropriate levels.
5. Women who are already pregnant and who have followed the
earlier advice will not have put themselves or their baby at risk.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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