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Dangerous levels of alcohol during pregnancy

Dangerous alcohol during pregnancy

Here in Australia there was a bit of a story this week about the Government’s guidelines on alcohol limits of pregnant women. It is the opinion of many groups in Australia that if pregnant women follow the Government’s guidlines they are putting their unborn children at risk.

The Herald Sun had the story and they had this to say:

The Federal Government is reviewing its national guidelines on alcohol, which set standards on how much people can drink without suffering health effects.

Current National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines recommend pregnant women drink no more than seven standard drinks in a week and no more than two on any one day.

I was quite shocked by this as I always thought that the amount of alcohol women could drink whilst being pregnant was zero. I have always read that any alcohol can harm the unborn baby due to the connection the baby has to the mother’s blood.

Commenting on the issue Minister Pyne said:

Children who suffer foetal alcohol syndrome, caused by mothers drinking alcohol during pregnancy, can be born with heart defects, developmental problems and a low birth weight.

As adults they may experience developmental delays, learning difficulties and behavioural problems, and may be prone to mental illness.

So, if you are pregnant it seems that the safest option is to avoid alcohol altogether. There are many studies which support this course of action.

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