On Thursday, September 27th we went Facebook live at UC San Diego Center for Better Beginnings with expert Sonia Alvarado of MotherToBaby CA. We shared information and answered your questions about drinking alcohol during pregnancy, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, and other harmful exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
I am 5 months pregnant with my third child and having the healthiest pregnancy I can is my number one goal. I’m always on the lookout for the latest
information from trusted sources. From taking prenatal vitamins to abstaining from drinking alcohol, there are countless things we can do to have a healthy pregnancy.
September is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) awareness month. FASD is a term used to describe the negative effects caused by drinking alcohol while pregnant. The effects range from physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with lifelong implications.
Our friends at MotherToBaby are bringing attention to the leading cause of preventable birth defects – alcohol use during pregnancy. This September we celebrate FASD Awareness Month and ask you to help us share the message that all nine months of pregnancy matter! They can help expecting and new moms find trusted, evidence-based information on the effects of alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The best part about this program is that their experts from UCSD School of Medicine are available by phone, email or online chat. They provide confidential, no-cost information on FASD.
My favorite part about their website is their facts sheet tab. You can go through the list of medicines, drugs and other common exposures to see how they affect your child. It is incredible the amount of resources and information on this tab alone. For me, abstaining from alcohol was a priority and I was aware of the negative effects, but there were quite a few items on this tab that caught me by surprise.
Here are some surprising stats to consider:
– The exact number of people who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is unknown, but it is estimated that up to 1 in 20 U.S. school children may have an FASD, a rate comparable to Autism, and about 40,000 babies are born with effects of prenatal alcohol exposure annually.
– The lifetime cost for one individual with FAS (does not include other FASDs) is estimated to be $2 million, with a combined cost to the United States for FAS alone over $4 billion annually.
– Among pregnant women, 1 in 10 reported any alcohol use and 1 in 33 reported binge drinking in the past 30 days.
– About half of all pregnancies are unplanned, contributing to late entry into prenatal care and presenting a barrier to optimal pregnancy management, particularly during the crucial early weeks of embryonic development.
If you are pregnant, considering becoming pregnant or just want to learn more about keeping your baby safe during pregnancy. Please join us on Thursday, September 27th at 1PM for a Facebook Live interview and open forum Q&A with expert Sonia Alvarado. She is a lead bilingual (Spanish/English) Teratogen Information Specialist with MotherToBaby California at UC San Diego. Along with answering questions from women and healthcare providers about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding via phone, email, and live chat, she also provides educational talks in the community regarding pregnancy health. Sonia is an author for the Baby Blog and leads the production of Fact Sheets as a co-chair of the MotherToBaby/OTIS Education Committee. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, podcasts, and YouTube videos on home décor, fashion and animals.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR FACEBOOK LIVE EVENT
If you are trying to conceive, think you may be pregnant, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, give your baby the best start at life by not drinking alcohol. For more information, please check out these sites MotherToBaby California, Center for Better Beginnings and Nine Months Matter.
