Teesside adoptive mum warns about risks of drinking alcohol in pregnancy

The UK has the fourth highest rates of women drinking while pregnant.

Author: Molly RyanPublished 11th Sep 2019
Last updated 11th Sep 2019

An adoptive mum of two young adults diagnosed with Feotal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), is urging mums-to-be across the country to avoid drinking alcohol in pregnancy.

The UK has the fourth highest level of prenatal alcohol use in the world, with around 6000 affected every year.

The disorder can cause a range of mental and physical disabilities.

Sara tells us it's hard to find help: "We've been fighting every year to try and get help. It's so frustrating, I know everywhere is struggling for resources but the services aren't there; they don't understand FASD or how it can present."

Sara's eldest daughter was born premature and it took them a while to reach a diagnosis of FASD as many early symptoms were attributed to her early birth and the adoption:

"Even as a toddler she was struggling to swallow food, not drinking enough, barely able to sit and very delayed. Then when she got older it was then the memory of things, getting very upset, frustrated and cross."

"She's just so fearful, scared of what's expected of her, scared if someone's going to ask her questions or expect her to conform. She's not able to act her age, she's a much younger child."

Sara wants mums-to-be to know that FASD is a life-long condition that drastically affects their quality of life:

"I'm having to fight year in year out to try get some support for my children and this is their lives that are being affected by it all."

Maria Catterick runs FASD Network UK, a peer support charity helping around 1000 families affected by the disorder.

She says preventing unplanned pregnancies will reduce the cases of FASD:

"In the UK 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, that's a whole lot of pregnancies potetially at risk of harming a baby from alcohol consumption. This is potentially preventable if we have planned pregnancies and abstain from alcohol throughout which is the current government advice."

For more information on FASD visit www.fasdnetwork.org