- Foetal alcohol syndrome caused by drinking heavily while pregnant
- Can include facial deformities, organ damage and learning difficulties
- Number of cases rose 40 per cent to 252 between 2009 and 2013
Cases of foetal alcohol syndrome, which can involve brain damage or facial deformity caused by drinking in pregnancy, have tripled since records began
The number of babies being born with foetal alcohol syndrome caused by mothers drinking while pregnant has increased by almost 40 per cent in the last three years.
Between 2012 and 2013 doctors treated 252 cases of the syndrome, which can cause learning difficulties, organ damage and facial deformity, in England alone.
That is almost triple the 89 cases that were treated in 1997-98 when records started being kept.
Susan Fleisher, chief executive of the National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome told The Guardian: ‘There have been studies in Italy and the US that say that between 2 per cent and 5 per cent of the population is affected by this.
‘And, remember, Britain is the number one binge-drinking country in Europe. The chances are we are closer to 5 per cent, although we can’t say that for sure because it is under-diagnosed and difficult to diagnose.’
Foetal alcohol syndrome occurs where an unborn baby is deprived of oxygen and nutrients due to a high blood alcohol concentration.
That limits the growth of white matter in the baby’s brain, potentially causing learning difficulties.
A lack of oxygen between weeks six and nine of pregnancy can also cause facial deformities while the baby’s features form, while drinking in the first three months can cause organ damage.
Signs that a baby is suffering from the syndrome include small and narrow eyes, a small head, a smooth area between the nose and the lips and a thin upper lip.
The UK chief medical officer advises pregnant women to drink no more than one or two units – equivalent to a bottle of beer or small glass of wine – once or twice a week
Sally Davies, the chief medial officer for the UK, previously said expectant mothers should drink no more than one or two units – equivalent to a bottle of beer or a small glass of wine – once or twice a week.
She added that, ideally, mothers should avoid alcohol completely while expecting a baby.
The Department for Health also gives advice to mothers on their Start 4 Life website on avoiding risky behaviors while pregnant, including drinking.
However, Luciana Berger, the shadow public health minister, said the government was not doing enough to warn expectant mother of the dangers of drinking heavily while pregnant.
or comment on this article
-
Girl taken to hospital after being ‘possessed’ playing with…
-
Pakistani woman raped, killed and hanged from tree
-
Moment man tries to rob store and is taught a lesson
-
Must see. Horrific axe-wielding Russian road rage attack
-
School bullies force girl to drink puddle water for being…
-
GRAPHIC: Shocking Irish anti-speeding campaign
-
Alligator bites man while trying to move it ‘after a few…
-
Father and son engage in wedding reception dance battle
-
Three carers are caught abusing and manhandling patient
-
Police officer violently arrests man for snatching parking…
-
Incredibly lucky scooter driver is saved by inflatable pool
-
Down to earth with a bump. Adorable giraffe born in zoo
-
Can you spot the leopard? Amazing camouflage of the big cats…
-
WORLD CUP RESULT: USA 2-2 Portugal – Torture for America as…
-
Three American friends hospitalised after becoming…
-
Which company rules in YOUR state? Revenue map reveals that…
-
‘I hate that man more than any other who has ever lived’:…
-
Florida teen foot fetish ‘porn diva’ arrested for group sex…
-
‘They got it all back because of me being the superhero’:…
-
Amazing transformation of dog abandoned in the heart of LA’s…
-
MIT student, 28, missing for more than a week in India found…
-
Judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death ‘captured and…
-
Sudanese mother sentenced to death for ‘converting to…
-
Win or bust: Tennis star who had breast reduction surgery to…
Comments (49)
what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
cp,
Kent Europe,
3 hours ago
“foetal alcohol syndromeâ€. Doesn’t the word foetus mean unborn baby? So if a baby is born with this syndrome then the mother is responsible, either deliberately or accidentally. Another “reporting the obvious story …………..???
Jo,
London, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
I dont understand why you would drink when you’re pregnant anyway? I wouldnt dream of it
Marcus Publius,
Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
A piece ripped off from The Grauniad. It is true the incidence of foetal alcohol syndrome rose from 89 to 252 between 1997-98 and 2012-13. Yet appalling as this is it is a very small number of pregnancies that occurred over that period. At the end of the day it is a small number of expectant mothers who are binge drinking and we are given next to no information about them to understand why they indulge in this behaviour. All in all a poor piece of reportage by both the DM and Grauaniad which actually tells us little other than affording an alarmist headline.
Jade Roberts,
Stoke-On-Trent, United Kingdom,
10 hours ago
If you can’t give up alcohol for the sake of your unborn child then you probably shouldn’t have children. Don’t get me wrong I like a tipple myself and lord knows you sometimes need one after a long day at work. I’m currently 8 weeks pregnant with my second child and I gave up drinking the second I suspected I was pregnant with both. It’s a no brainer really, do I want to potentially cause health problems for a child I chose to bring into the world for the sake of a few pints? Hell no! The health and well being of my children will always come before my needs. There are plenty of alcohol free wines and beers that are ok to drink when pregnant that make great substitutes, plus there are some great mocktail recipes out there too, a simple sacrifice to make really when it comes to your health and your children.
cwjones,
london,
7 hours ago
Gemma,
uk, United Kingdom,
11 hours ago
I wouldn’t drink at all if I was pregnant, let alone binge-drink!! It’s all about the baby
null,
United Kingdom,
12 hours ago
Its the feminist way.
Judas Priest,
The World, United States,
12 hours ago
You shouldn’t drink while pregnant, period. If you can’t make it nine months withouta drink, see a doctor.
bob,
glesga, United Kingdom,
17 hours ago
Dailymail are the alcohol pushers here. The amount of crap it spews, forces women to drink in order to cope.
Kath,
Sudbury Canada,
20 hours ago
FAS is the worst that alcohol does to the baby. What is not often recognized is the FAE[ foetal alcohol effects]. These can range from mild to severe behavioral and cognitive disorders. My friend adopted two Native Canadian children from the same alcoholic mother. One had full FAS the other had FAE. The girl died at age 34 from complications caused by her FAS. The boy was severely learning disabled with problems relating to understanding the consequences of his actions all caused by his FAE. This was a very common problem in the native community in Canada and was the target of a huge educational program starting in the late 60?s. Sadly people just do not listen.
shane c.,
orono,
17 hours ago
Kirsten,
Saarburg,
5 hours ago
hcee12,
Northumberland, United Kingdom,
23 hours ago
I remember a woman who drank once during her pregnancy and her child was born with fas. No one is immune from this, so the best thing for a mother to do during pregnancy is avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs completely from the minute you discover you’re pregnant. That said though, not all learning difficulties etc are caused by alcohol or bad diet during pregnancy.
Turkie,
Whoville, United States,
15 hours ago
Sara,
The World, United Kingdom,
12 hours ago
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Find out now