Transcript Fourth AER peer review on alcohol and pregnancy

Fourth AER peer review on
alcohol and pregnancy
Katowice 18th march 09
Definition
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disorder
that can occur to the embryo when a pregnant
woman ingests alcohol during pregnancy.
Consequences of FAS
• Primary Disabilities
– Brain damage
– Lowered cognitive function
– Inability to learn from consequences
– Facial dysmorphology
– Growth deficiency
• Secondary Disabilities
– Disrupted school experiences
– Trouble with the law
– Inappropriate sexual behaviors
– Alcohol/drug problems
Typical clinical picture
Neuropsychological disturbances
memory
coordination
reading and writing
concentration
speech
mood
motivation
No one
knows what
amount of
alcohol is
safe for a
pregnant
woman
This is why
women are
advised to
stop
drinking
alcohol
completely
during
pregancy
2006 – the first studies conducted in Poland
showed:
 Every third woman (33%) aged 18-40 drinks alcohol during
pregnancy
 As many as 16% of women with higher education think that
drinking alcohol does not cause harm to the fetus
 Almost two-third of pregnant women have not been warned
by doctors against negative consequences
 Myths: red wine is good in pragnancy!!
Pregnancy with no alcohol
 Since September 2007
 - Tv and radio spot, billboards, city lights
 - press and broadcasting releases
 - over 659 thousand „Pregnancy with no alcohol”
leaflets
 - 211 000 brochures and books
 - A Child for life film
 - FAScinating children
 exibition of photographs

What is the problems in our
regions?
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
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Increasing amount of teenage mothers with a poor social situation
The economical situation, lack of funding for prevention
Lack of statistics, in many regions there is no statistics about
alcohol consumption and about alcohol and pregnancy
Changing drinking patterns among women, a problem in all
regions
Women with a poor social situation and with alcohol problems
don’t have any contact with professionals in the health sector or in
social services
The mentality against alcohol, alcohol is socially accepted
There is poor routines for diagnosing and treatment for children
with FAS.
Alcohol is accepted and used by professionals in health care and
this might stop them from asking questions about alcohol.
What needs to be done?
 Better statistics, in order to be able to work on this
we need to know the real numbers.
 Education, for doctors, nurses, midwives and
teachers.
 Education and information directed to young people
about the risks about drinking alcohol during your
pregnancy
 Making it attractive for doctors and nurses to have
knowledge about this
 Create diagnostic centers for treatment and consulting
for children with FAS.
 Cooperation between NGO:s and authorities needs to
be better.