Foetal alcohol syndrome

Preventing foetal alcohol syndrome

Foetal alcohol syndromeis completely avoidable if youdon't drink alcohol while you're pregnant.

The risk is higher the more you drink,although there's no proven "safe" level of alcohol in pregnancy. Not drinking at all is the safest approach.

If you're pregnant andstrugglingwith an alcoholproblem,talk to your midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

It's never too late to stop drinking: stopping at any point during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of problems in your baby.

Confidential help and support is alsoavailable from:

Drinkline the national alcohol helpline; if you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, call this free helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9amto 8pm, weekends 11amto 4pm)
Addaction a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of alcohol and drug misuse
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) a free self-help group; its "12-step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups
NOFAS-UK helpline on020 8458 5951
the FASD Trust helpline on01608 811 599

You can also find your nearest alcohol support services or read advice on cutting down your drinking and alcohol in pregnancy .

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for foetal alcohol syndrome

Introduction

Find out about foetal alcohol syndrome, a range of mental and physical problems that can affect children whose mothers drink alcohol while they're pregnant.

Symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome

A baby exposed to alcohol in the wombmay have: a head that's smaller than average poor growth they may be smaller than average at birth, grow slowly as they get older, and be shorter than average

What to do if you think yourchild has foetal alcohol syndrome

Speak to your GP or health visitor if you have any concerns about your child's development or think they could have foetal alcohol syndrome. If the condition isn't diagnosed early on and a child does

Treatment and support for foetal alcohol syndrome

There is no particular treatment for foetal alcohol syndrome, and the damage to the child's brain and organs can't be reversed. But an early diagnosis and support can make a big difference. Once the

Preventing foetal alcohol syndrome

Foetal alcohol syndromeis completely avoidable if youdon't drink alcohol while you're pregnant. The risk is higher the more you drink,although there's no proven "safe" level of alcohol in pregnancy.

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