No Alcohol During Pregnancy: The Message is Clear, But Needs to Start Sooner

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the most common preventable cause of neurological developmental disorders in children, affecting thousands of newborns in Switzerland each year. Alcohol poses a health risk at any stage of pregnancy. The new survey by Sucht Schweiz among pregnant women now provides insights into how the precautionary principle 'No alcohol during pregnancy' is implemented and where the challenges lie.

Accordingly, 90% of the pregnant women surveyed by Sucht Schweiz know that abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy is crucial for the child's health. Three-quarters have heard of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

It is therefore not surprising that almost 95% of the respondents stated they did not drink alcohol after the confirmation of pregnancy. However, slightly less than half of the participating women indicated they consumed alcohol between conception and confirmation of pregnancy, and 6% stated they continued to drink even after confirmation.

'We believe that some women do not have the necessary professional and social support available,' says project manager Lydia Paiva Quintao. 'A societal shift in awareness is needed to promote non-consumption from the onset of a desire for pregnancy.'

**Lack of Information and Support**

Clearly, there are difficulties and information gaps hindering the implementation of the 'No alcohol during pregnancy' principle.

* Consuming alcohol is normal in our society. This makes abstaining more difficult. The survey shows, for example, that some women continue because they do not wish to communicate their pregnancy (yet). Women who mainly rely on family or friends for information tend to continue consuming during pregnancy, especially if their environment deems it normal.

* A partner who would support the precautionary principle (i.e. reducing or stopping their own consumption) could be an important support. However, results show that partners usually do not participate much in obtaining information and often leave the responsibility for abstaining to the pregnant woman. Partners, family, and the environment have a shared responsibility for prevention.

* Almost 40% of the surveyed women have limited general or digital health literacy. Some rely on misleading information from their surroundings or social networks. Gynaecologists could play an important role here by providing information on alcohol in pregnancy during routine check-ups.

**Clear Message: No Alcohol During Pregnancy**

The message 'No alcohol during pregnancy' is based on solid scientific evidence. Since no proven threshold exists for risk-free alcohol consumption, many health authorities worldwide have adopted this 'precautionary principle'. This principle essentially applies from conception. However, as some pregnancies are unplanned, it is challenging to fully implement this principle, and even with planned pregnancies, uncertainty often persists. Therefore, it is recommended to stop alcohol consumption from the planning stages of pregnancy.

**Box:**

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the most common preventable cause of neurological developmental disorders in children. Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a wide range of somatic, cognitive, and behavioural effects, collectively termed 'Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders' (FASD), with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) being the most severe form. These irreversible disorders lead to learning difficulties, behavioural disorders, and persistent neurological disorders in adulthood, placing a significant burden on individuals, their families, and society. Switzerland is characterised by a lack of empirical data. However, the few existing indicators suggest that thousands of newborns are affected by FASD and hundreds by FAS each year.

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: Sucht Schweiz