There’s no safe minimum amount of alcohol that a pregnant woman can drink without it affecting her unborn child. Research shows just a few drinks during your pregnancy can cause serious, life-long brain damage to your unborn baby. What is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)? FAS is the most common preventable form of mental disability in the world and occur in children of mothers who drink alcohol during their pregnancies. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the prevalence of FASD in the world is projected to be 1,5%. South Africa has the highest reported FASD prevalence rates in the world, with rates as high as 28% in some communities. It’s estimated that our country’s overall rate is at least 6%. Even though FAS is completely preventable, there’s no cure for this irreversible lifelong condition. What happens to your unborn baby when you drink alcohol during pregnancy? When alcohol enters the bloodstream of a pregnant woman, it’s carried through the placental tissue that separates the baby’s blood systems from hers, delivering the alcohol directly to the developing tissues of the foetus. This means that when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn baby. The alcohol is 100% absorbed by the foetus and causes devastating damage to the baby’s brain. This brain damage later results in serious behavioural disorders. The harmful effects of alcohol can damage the foetus at any stage of your pregnancy and isn’t isolated to a particular stage of the pregnancy.

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Western Cape Department of Agriculture and FASfacts partnership The Department of Agriculture works with the NGO, FASFacts to educate farming communities and the general public what drinking alcohol during pregnancy does to unborn babies. This organisation has been in existence since 2002 and is focused on educating communities about the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse during pregnancy and breastfeeding, to prevent Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Over the past year they’ve been implementing their Social Support to Substance Abuse programme in these areas:

• Cape Winelands District (Paardeberg and Langeberg areas),
• Eden District (Herbertsdale in Mossel Bay), and
• West Coast District (Lutzville West in Matzikama)

Francois Grobbelaar, CEO and founder of FASfacts says the programme focuses on 3 interventions namely:

1. Training of mentors in the community to support pregnant women and prevent them from drinking alcohol during pregnancy (thus lowering the risk of having FAS babies).
2.  Two one-day awareness sessions to members of the community on domestic violence and substance abuse.
3.  A one-day counselling session to members of the community that may be at risk or are impacted.

“The mentors are trained over 3 days in FAS, alcohol, drug abuse and domestic violence. The implementation of this project contributes to the general social upliftment of farmworkers, their communities and farmworker organisations,” he said. Pregnant Women Mentoring Programme (PWMP) The PWMP is a 12-month intervention programme that supports pregnant women in abstaining from substance use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The programme has assisted 657 pregnant women to stay sober since 2012. How it works Community members and/or farm workers are trained as mentors. They’re equipped with information about FAS, as well as techniques to convey the FAS message in their communities or on the farms where they live and work. Each mentor educates expecting mothers and their partners about the dangers and devastating effects of alcohol and substance abuse during pregnancy. The mentors deliver a lay counselling service during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is focused on education, emotional support, motivation to stay sober and a drug-free lifestyle. The PWMP also focusses on alcohol and drug abuse in general. Impact of project The Western Cape has one of the highest reported occurrence rates of FAS in the world.  Substance abuse is also a major problem in farmworker communities. Many farmworkers are unaware of the devastating and life-long effects that alcohol and substance abuse could have on an unborn child, the family, and even the community as a whole. Through this programme, women together with their partners, are educated about FAS and FASD and are also provided with continuous support from mentors to abstain from drinking and to make healthy lifestyle choices. Through this programme, the rate of FAS in the Western Cape and the burden on health, education and social services are reduced. More information For more information, you can contact Danie Niemand, Director of Farm Worker Development at the Western Cape Department of Agriculture at 021 808 7601 or email danien@elsenburg.com. You can also call FasFacts on 023 342 7000 or email info@FASfacts.org.za.

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The Department of Social Development offers a basket of substance abuse services which range from early intervention to inpatient treatment, to aftercare services. The Department funds 36 substance abuse treatment centres, as well as community-based treatment programmes, and provides treatment programmes in all of its child and youth care centres. Anyone in need of assistance with substance abuse interventions can contact their nearest local DSD office, or call 0800 220 250, toll-free. For more information about our other services, please refer to the Western Cape Department’s website:

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Speak to your healthcare worker at your nearest clinic and ask that your child is assessed if you’re worried that your baby or child may have FASD. Are you struggling to stop drinking alcohol, using drugs or smoking? Speak to your healthcare worker, social worker, or religious leader. You can also contact any of the following organisations:

• Alcoholics Anonymous – 021 418 0908
• Al-Anon – 021 595 4517
• SANCA – 021 945 4080
• FASFacts – 023 342 7000
• Narcotics Anonymous SA – 083 900 6962

Source Credit: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/foetal-alcohol-syndrome-awareness-programme