OPINION PIECE: World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Foetal alcohol syndrome is one of the disorders from the group of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It occurs to the baby who is exposed to alcohol before birth or when a mother consume alcohol while is pregnant. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy leads to known cause of birth defects. This may include risks of miscarriages, low birth weight of babies born to a woman who drinks alcohol. The average birth weight is about 4 pounds for babies exposed to significant amounts of alcohol, compare to 7 pounds for normal babies.

Some babies more likely to die soon after given birth. This syndrome has the most serious consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and it has this symptoms :inadequate growth before and after facial defects, small head caused by inadequate growth of the brain, abnormal behavioural developments such as: poor memory, speech and languages delay. Severe behavioural problems such as anti-social behaviour ,attention deficit disorder.

This is to warn those who are drinking alcohol during their pregnancy to stop drinking. It is never too late to stop drinking alcohol while pregnancy.

• Nqobile Mthembu: Pastoral Care Unit