‘Little being done’ to stop drinking in pregnancy

“SCANDALOUSLY LITTLE” is being done to stop pregnant women drinking alcohol – despite the fact that even one drink could do permanent damage to the unborn baby, MPs were warned.

Members of the health select committee were told that four times more women in the UK drink alcohol when pregnant compared to the global average.

The committee heard this can cause foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which can lead to poor growth, movement and co-ordination difficulties, and mood, attention or behavioural problems.

But the condition can also lead to long-term problems such as difficulties learning, misusing drugs or alcohol, mental health problems, and finding it hard to get a job as an adult.

Committee member MP Andrew Selous said “scandalously little” was being done to deter pregnant mothers from drinking.

The Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire added: “I think i[the policy response] is under-powered, we have a picture of pregnant lady with a bottle of wine with a line through it. We do scandalously little in this area.”

Anthoulla Koutsoudi, director of external relations of the Wave Trust, said expectant mothers are not warned of the consequences of drinking.

Giving evidence to the committee, she added: “One drink could be the drink that does the damage, and it is permanent structural damage you cannot alleviate after birth.”

The committee heard that the advice from the chief medical officer is not to drink any alcohol when pregnant, but Ms Koutsoudi said it was not clear enough.

Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield said support for children aged three and below was a “black hole” in terms of national policy, and called for new cash to support infants in the upcoming NHS plan.