Mothers to be warned: Cut out ALL alcohol

ALL women of childbearing age are to be warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol in pregnancy.

Staff at NHS Ayrshire and Arran will be trained to tell women about the risks of alcohol – even before they conceive.

It follows a University of Glasgow study which found 2 per cent of newborn babies had been exposed to alcohol in the womb.

The move has been welcomed by antialcohol campaigners, but critics said it was an ‘unnecessary over-reaction’.

Around 3 per cent of Scots are thought to suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a condition involving a range of health and developmental problems caused by the mother drinking in pregnancy.

An NHS Ayrshire and Arran paper says: ‘It is the goal of the strategy that all key professionals will have the confidence to promote the “No Alcohol, No Risk” message at every suitable contact with women of childbearing age.’

The scheme will be rolled out by 2019 as part of a pilot scheme given almost £1million by the Scottish Government.

Calling the move ‘a largely unnecessary over-reaction’, Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said: ‘Staff in the NHS are already working under enormous pressures.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said it backed the scheme and current advice was to avoid alcohol completely when pregnant or trying to conceive.