A NORTH-EAST family has backed calls for consistent Government guidelines urging women to avoid drinking alcohol altogether when pregnant.

Linda Venus, who has a daughter with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), is supporting calls from campaigners for clearer advice on how much alcohol women can drink when pregnant.

As the devastating effects of FASD are due to be explored in an ITV documentary tonight (Tuesday 3rd March), Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, is calling on Government to advise women that no alcohol from conception to birth is the safest option.

FASD, which affects 1 in 100 babies each year, is a series of preventable birth defects, both mental and physical, caused by drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy.

Linda, from Newcastle, has experienced FASD first-hand as her seven-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, was diagnosed with the condition last year.

The mum-of-four and her husband Mick, adopted Kaitlyn when she was eight-months-old knowing that her biological mother had struggled with drink and drug problems during her pregnancy.

Linda, 50, said: “We knew from an early age that something wasn’t quite right. Kaitlyn’s first carer actually raised concerns over FASD when she was just a few months old but it took years before it was finally confirmed.

Already a prize-winning horse rider with the Riding for the Disabled Association Morpeth team and she is due to start at a specialist school.

Linda, who also has three grown up children, said: “There needs to be clearer guidelines advising women to avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy. FASD is completely preventable so why risk it by drinking?”

Mary Edwards, from Balance, said: “The North-East’s 12 Directors of Public Health have already backed calls for a consistent message that the safest option for expectant mothers is no alcohol from conception to birth and now it’s time for the Government to do the same.”