Alcohol and pregnancy ‘don’t mix’: experts

A State Government campaign encouraging pregnant women to abstain from alcohol has been endorsed by the WA Country Health Service which claims ‘‘not drinking is the safest option.’’

The campaign — which is the first of its kind in Australia — is aimed at women who drink small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy.

WA Country Health Service South West other drugs coordinator Jenny Payet said she thought messages like this needed to be constantly spread throughout the community.

‘‘Given the increasing trend toward alcohol consumption across all sectors of the community it is timely that these messages be promoted,’’ she said.

The campaign also revealed that one in three WA woman was unaware of the potential dangers of drinking while pregnant.

Ms Payet said she thought that women did not know the extent of the harm because previous national alcohol guidelines recommended that small amounts of alcohol were lowrisk.

‘‘The possible risks associated with alcohol in pregnancy are only just being realised and continued research is required to draw further evidence around this,’’ she said.

‘‘A safe level of drinking has not been established.’’

The effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy may include brain damage, birth defects, cell damage, behavioural problems, developmental delay, low intelligenc e and poor growth.

Twenty-three-year-old Hayley Bastow is five months into her first pregnancy and has not had any alcohol since finding out she was pregnant.

‘‘I have heard that a drink every now and then during pregnancy is fine in moderation but I would rather not do anything that could possibly harm my baby,’’ she said.

‘‘And the smell of alcohol actually makes me feel sick currently.

‘‘One of my friends had a glass of wine once a week throughout her pregnancy though and her baby is healthy.’’

Ms Payet said that not drinking during pregnancy was the safest option for soon-to-be mothers.

‘‘Reducing or stopping drinking at any stage of pregnancy will be beneficial for the mother and baby,’’ she said.

‘‘While breastfeeding, alcohol enters the breast milk and may stay in breast milk for some time after the alcohol.’’