Every Moment Matters

Australian research has found that people who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding want health professionals to ask them about alcohol consumption, and want clear and accurate information about the risks.

To support conversations between health professionals and patients, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) has launched new information resources for health professionals that provide evidence-based information about alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

They also provide helpful guidance on asking people who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy about alcohol consumption and supporting people to stop drinking alcohol.

The information resources are part of FARE’s national campaign, called Every Moment Matters, that aims to empower Australians by providing clear information about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Based on the updated Australian alcohol guidelines, the campaign highlights that when it comes to alcohol, every moment matters in pregnancy, starting from the moment a person starts trying to conceive.

That’s because any alcohol consumed at any stage of pregnancy passes directly to the baby via the placenta and can increase the risk of premature birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, being born small for gestational age, and FASD.

For further information and to access the new information resources, visit everymomentmatters.org.au.