MEC Sello Lehari has called on pregnant mothers to adopt a healthier lifestyle to ensure the good health of their unborn babies by refraining from consuming alcohol during pregnancy.

This is as the world observes World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Day at nine minutes past nine today, 9 September 2024 to draw attention to the fact that women should not drink alcohol while pregnant.

The theme for this year’s FASD awareness month is “Everyone Plays a Part”. The theme, Everyone Plays a Part, goes beyond framing FASD as an individual issue, it is a call to action to support healthy pregnancies as the impacts of FASD matter to the whole community. The department continues to roll out health education to mothers and women of childbearing age in all communities to raise awareness about the consequences of FASD. “Through our healthy lifestyle programme, we want to ensure that every pregnancy and delivery is a safe and an enjoyable experience. We are emphasising the need to care for the health of babies before and after birth to ensure that they have a healthy start to life,” MEC Lehari pointed out.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) as it is commonly known, is a severe medical condition caused by the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause the child to have disabilities related to behavior, learning and thinking, and physical development. The symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome vary from child to child but are lifelong.

There is no amount of alcohol that's known to be safe to drink during pregnancy. A mother who drinks during pregnancy places their baby at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. “The alcohol the mother drinks enters the unborn baby's bloodstream causing damage to the foetus. Such damage is permanent and irreversible. FAS children will have physical and intellectual problems, warned MEC Lehari.

-ENDS- Enquiries:

Tshegofatso Mothibedi Spokesperson 073 503 5045/ 060 567 3413

For additional information:

Ms Keletso Ratlhagane 0609801091 ksratlhgane@nwpg.gov.za