EVEN ONE DRINK risks the health of an unborn baby – American Academy of Pediatrics & NOFAS

‘Even One Drink’

Woman gasping with hand over her mouth

‘There is no safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Even one drink risks the health of an unborn baby.’ ‘Pregnant? Don’t Drink. Period.’

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004, adapted from materials provided by the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, http://www.aap.org/advocacy/chm98fet.htm

Pregnant woman and man with ear to her belly

‘The Academy supports federal legislation that would require the inclusion of health and safety messages in all print and broadcast alcohol advertisements based on the US Surgeon General’s warning: “Drinking during pregnancy may cause mental retardation and other birth defects. Avoid alcohol during pregnancy.”’

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2 Aug. 2000, ‘Policy Statement, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders’, Pediatrics Vol. 106, No. 2., pp. 358-361, http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/106/2/358.full

‘Leading Cause’ Developmental Disorders

‘FAS [Fetal Alcohol Syndrome] is the leading cause of mental retardation in newborns.’

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004, adapted from materials provided by the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, http://www.aap.org/advocacy/chm98fet.htm

‘…Other alcohol-related developmental disorders, which are more common than FAS (conservative estimates suggest a 10:1 ratio), go relatively unnoticed.’

Dr. Bill Boggan, 2003, ‘Alcohol, Chemistry and You: Maternal Drinking and Child Development’, https://web.archive.org/web/20140716163307/http://www.chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-08.htm

‘FASD [Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder] affects more newborns every year than Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida and sudden infant death syndrome combined.’

National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, 25 Feb. 2004, ‘U.S. House of Representatives Staff Briefing on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders’, https://web.archive.org/web/20120717020134/http://www.nofas.org/advocate/housebriefing.aspx

‘Before You Knew’ You Were Pregnant

‘If you drank alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now… If you want to get pregnant, do not drink alcohol. You may not know you are pregnant right away. Alcohol can hurt a baby even when you are only 1 or 2 months pregnant.’

NIAAA, Revised Oct. 2001, ‘Drinking and Your Pregnancy’, NIH Publication No. 96-4101 1996, https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/DrinkingPregnancy_HTML/pregnancy.htm

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