87% of Western Australian health professionals advise women not to drink alcohol in pregnancy. No Alcohol in Pregnancy is the Safest Choice Only 45% of Western Australian health professionals who care for pregnant women routinely ask about their alcohol use. Please Ask – You Can Make a Difference The consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy include: • brain damage • birth defects • poor growth • social and behavioural problems • developmental delay • low IQ The consequences are life-long and may not be evident at birth Guide to Addressing Alcohol Use in Pregnancy ASK all women of child-bearing age and pregnant women about their alcohol use. An effective way to ascertain consumption is to use a screening tool such as AUDIT ASSESS the level of risk of women’s alcohol consumption ADVISE women of child-bearing age including pregnant women • that no alcohol is the safest choice if a woman is pregnant or trying to get pregnant • that the amount of alcohol that is safe for the fetus has not been determined • that alcohol reaches concentrations in the fetus that are as high as those in the mother • of the consequences of alcohol exposure to the fetus Women who have consumed alcohol in pregnancy should be advised that • the level of risk to the fetus is hard to predict • stopping drinking at any time in the pregnancy will reduce the risk to the fetus • the risk of harm to the fetus is low if only small amounts of alcohol were consumed before they knew they were pregnant • any concerns about the child’s development should be raised with a health professional ASSIST women to stop or reduce consumption through • positive reinforcement for those already abstaining • advising on the consequences of alcohol exposure to the fetus • conducting brief intervention or motivational interviewing with the aim of supporting them to abstain, and where this is not possible, to reduce alcohol intake and avoid intoxication…

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