HARRISBURG – The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has announced that Gov. Tom Corbett has proclaimed September as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Month to remind women of the health risks associated when consuming alcohol while pregnant.
Nationally, there are more than 40,000 babies born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) each year.
“Far too many babies are born with a disorder that is 100 percent preventable,” DDAP Secretary Gary Tennis said. “Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should not drink alcohol because it puts the unborn baby at risk.”
FASD is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in children exposed to alcohol during fetal development. Alcohol use during pregnancy can be devastating on the life of an unborn child, causing possible physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications.
“There is no safe level of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, and it can pose more harmful, long-term effects to an unborn baby than heroin or cocaine,” Tennis said. “By educating the public about the dangers, we hope to eliminate the number of babies born with FASD and for more babies to have a healthy future.”
The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), in partnership with Center for Humanistic Change, Inc., hosted a public kick-off event today in Allentown to raise awareness and provide education on FASD prevention.
This month, DDAP will distribute more than 5,000 baby bottles with FASD fact sheets about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy to OB/GYN offices and other providers serving pregnant women statewide.
For more information on FASD, visit www.ddap.pa.gov.