MOTHERS-TO-BE in the North-East have been advised that no alcohol prior to and during pregnancy is the safest option.

The message – which goes further than current national guidance - is contained in an open letter from the directors of public health at every North-East council.

The letter – which is also aimed at health professionals working in the North-East - was released to coincide with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day today (Tuesday September 9).

FASD is a series of preventable birth defects caused by drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy. These defects of the brain and the body exist only because of prenatal exposure to alcohol.

Around one baby is born with FASD each day in the North-East and it has a higher incidence rate than autism, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida and sudden infant death syndrome combined.

Statistics show that approximately one per cent of all babies born may have some form of FASD.

It is thought that around 26,000 people in the North-East could be affected by the disorder.

No two children with FASD are exactly alike, either behaviourally or physically. However, some of the characteristics may include attention problems or hyperactivity, academic problems, language deficits, behavioural and/or social challenges, sensory impairments, poor sense of self, poor memory, poor regulation of emotion and difficulty with time concepts.

Anna Lynch, director of public health, County Durham and chairwoman of the region’s Directors of Public Health Network, said: “It’s important that we deliver one clear message that alcohol and pregnancy don’t mix and that no alcohol is the safest option prior to and during pregnancy.”