One in two Kiwi pregnancies risk fetal alcohol disorders

Reducing your alcohol consumption can reduce your risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Up to one in two pregnant women may be exposing their unborn child to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a University of Otago researcher says.

Dr Sherly Parackal shared some of the findings of her study about alcohol exposure during pre-conception and early pregnancy at the Public Health Association conference in Christchurch on Tuesday.

She said the issue was a serious and underestimated public health problem in New Zealand as there were up to 3000 babies born each year with undiagnosed FASD.

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Stuff.co.nz - One in two Kiwi pregnancies risk fetal alcohol disorders