Expert warns more education needed on dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy
Experts are warning that there is an urgent need for education and intervention around the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
September is Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month.
"FASD is a huge problem in South Africa. We have done prevalence studies in partnership with FAR, which is the Foundation for Alcohol-related Research," says AWARE.org's CEO Mokebe Thulo.
"South Africa is said to have around 11 per cent prevalence, which means 11 per cent of annual births are affected by FASD, but in some regions, this number goes all the way up to 31 per cent. These numbers are quite alarming."
The disorder is a result of prenatal alcohol exposure and causes physical and mental defects in thousands of babies.
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Thulo says the disorder is 100 per cent preventable, yet it continues to affect people.
"What we are trying to do is to ensure the awareness in every patient so that we can prevent FASD from happening in the first place. Once a child is born with FASD there is a life-long condition.
"There is no way it is possible for our healthcare system to be in any way prepared or equipped to deal with such a massive problem. The only way for us to get onto the other side of the tide is to work on the prevention side of things."
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