Preventive strategies

Prevention of drinking in pregnancy (and its impact on fetal neurodevelopment) is critical to reduce the likelihood of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in individuals. There is no safe time for a pregnant woman to consume alcohol. A safe threshold of prenatal alcohol consumption has not and cannot be established due to individual variation in maternal alcohol use, maternal health factors, fetal factors, and possibly genetics and epigenetics.

Note: There is no safe amount of alcohol, or safe time to consume alcohol, for a pregnant woman.
Efforts to prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) should include provision of consistent information on the risks of drinking in pregnancy, and early identification of women who use, have used or may use alcohol during pregnancy; see Discussing alcohol use during pregnancy. See Resources on prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure  for some resources about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure.

Preventive interventions to help women who are considering pregnancy or are pregnant to stop drinking alcohol or, when this is not possible, to help them to drink less, include:

  • ensuring access to information and local or online support pathways
  • referral to appropriate services (to modify maternal drinking behaviour) and supportive social services
  • patient support groups (eg through NOFASD).

Alcohol-exposed pregnancies may also be prevented by interventions to reduce alcohol consumption, and promoting effective use of contraception by women of childbearing age who use alcohol.

In addition to alcohol, prenatal use of other psychotropic drugs can also cause harm. For a discussion, see Psychotropic drug use during pregnancy and the substance-specific advice in the Addiction Guidelines.

Figure 1. Resources on prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure .

[NB1]

FASD Hub Australia—GP ask the question

Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE)—Every Moment Matters campaign

Raising Children Network—Alcohol and pregnancy: in pictures

Better Health Channel—Alcohol in pregnancy

NHMRC—Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol

RACGP—National guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people provides advice on screening and prevention strategies

Note:

FASD = fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; GP = general practitioner; NHMRC = National Health and Medical Research Council; RACGP = Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

NB1: This is not an exhaustive list.