Alcohol Advice Update Vital To Protect Unborn Babies
AMA President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, today called on the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to recommend that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
"The NHMRC is currently reviewing its Australian Alcohol Guidelines," Dr Haikerwal said.
"And this Saturday is International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day.
"It's a fitting time to update Australian recommendations to reflect the fact that there is no evidence to suggest there is any safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
"As well, the Government should make it compulsory that all alcohol products carry obvious warning labels describing the health effects of alcohol."
Today the Senate defeated a motion by Democrats Health Spokeswoman Senator Lyn Allison calling on the Government to introduce such labels and reconsider the current recommendation that pregnant women drink no more than seven units of alcohol in a week and no more than two units on any one day.
"It's well-known that alcohol exposure can affect the structure and function of a developing foetus, interfere with the development of the central nervous system, and cause a range of disabilities," Dr Haikerwal said.
"Now a new study from the University of Queensland has found that women who have as little as three drinks per occasion in early pregnancy could more than double the risk of their child developing alcohol problems later in life.
"It's just one more reason for the NHMRC to recommend that pregnant women steer clear of alcohol entirely."
The AMA has for some years lobbied the NHMRC and the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs to update the guidelines and to educate women about the potential dangers of drinking during pregnancy.
"The AMA calls on the Government to ensure pregnant women and all women of child-bearing age, including teenagers, are given information on the risks associated with drinking alcohol during pregnancy," Dr Haikerwal said.
"Women considering pregnancy need to know that there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption.
"This is particularly important as women often are not aware in the early stages of pregnancy that they are in fact pregnant."