More young black pregnant women abusing alcohol, says NGO

ALCOHOL abuse among young black pregnant women is on the increase, according to a study by the Foundation for Alcohol-Related Research (FARR), which says this group was never at risk until now.

Following a Cape Times report about the effects of foetal alcohol syndrome recently, FARR shared new research that has identified economically marginalised urban black women as a new risk group for exposing unborn babies to alcohol. This was revealed in a recent study in Kimberley, commissioned by the Northern Cape Department of Social Development.

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) includes a wide range of intellectual, emotional and physiological disabilities in children whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. The most severe manifestation of FASD is foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The main effect of FAS is permanent damage to the central nervous system. People with FAS are afflicted with lifelong intellectual, learning and behavioural challenges.

The prenatal alcohol exposure can affect any of the baby’s developing organs.

Before FARR embarked on its three-year FASD social awareness, prevention and training project in Kimberley, the NGO undertook a prevalence study in the two biggest residential areas, Galeshewe and Roodepan. These two communities account for about 80 percent of the city’s population. It was found that for every 1 000 children tested in the study, 60 presented with FAS.

“Obviously, this is tragically and unacceptably high, for without prenatal exposure to alcohol there would be no FAS or FASD at all,” said FARR chief executive Leana Olivier.

“What is particularly disturbing, however, is that for the first time we are encountering new patterns of alcohol abuse among young black women, a group that has never been at risk before. We attribute this change to a migration towards the cities, a weakening of social support structures and changes in social mores.”

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