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Women in Ireland drink the most alcohol in pregnancy

Women in Ireland drink the most alcohol in pregnancy INTERNATIONAL Women in Ireland drink the most alcohol in pregnancy By Jane Bainbridge In a Dublin study involving 43 818 Irish women, 7.9% of pregnant women were found to drink nine or ten units of alcohol per week, showing a lack of awareness of the dangerous effects of alcohol on the unborn baby. Mothers who smoked had babies weigh- their doctors had not provided complete Ireland ing on average 211 g less than babies born to and accurate information and sometimes Mothers in Ireland and Britain drink more mothers who did not. Almost a quarter of the the information had been offensive about heavily during pregnancy than those in babies born to mothers who smoked weighed the condition. other EU countries, according to research less than 2.5 kg at birth compared to just presented at an alcohol and pregnancy con- 4.1% for those of non-smoking mothers. Papua New Guinea ference held in Brussels. Dr Siobhan Barry, The study found that among these under- visiting consultant psychiatrist at Coombe weight babies born to smokers the risk of them Maternity services in Papua New Guinea are hospital in Dublin, said her research found developing asthma was 23.5% compared to failing to meet requirements with the number that 7.5% of expectant mothers drank six 7.7% of children of non-smoking mothers of women dying during childbirth rising. Of to nine units per week compared to 6.9% who were an average weight when born. the 200 000 births each year in the country, of UK mothers and 2.9% in the rest of the 120 000 are unsupervised. As a result of the EU. Her research involved 43 818 pregnant lack of medical help more mothers are dying: USA Irish women between July 1999 and March national figures show the maternal death 2005. The number of babies born in the USA with rate doubled between 1996 and 2006 to 733 She said it was ‘desperately worrying’ that Down’s syndrome has been steadily decreas- deaths per 100 000 live births. six out of ten Irish women drank during their ing over the past few years as prenatal test- Despite many of these being low-risk preg- pregnancy. Overall Irish and UK mothers ing has been introduced. Between 1989 and nancies the women die as a result of bleeding were less likely to be non-drinkers in preg- 2005 there was a 15% decrease in the births or post-delivery infections. Unsurprisingly the nancy than those from elsewhere in Europe. of Down’s Syndrome babies, according to Dr hospital maternity units are stretched with The conference marked Foetal Alcohol Brian Skotko from the Children’s Hospital overcrowded wards, women giving birth on the Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day to high- Boston, who has been reviewing existing floor and insufficient staff numbers. Changes light the problems babies exposed to alcohol research on the subject. in the way the health services are run and in the womb can suffer, such as behavioural This decrease is directly attributed to the decentralization have had a negative impact and developmental disorders. Others at the rise in prenatal testing as without it, a rise in on the health-care system. There is a chronic conference called on the Irish government the number of babies born with the condi- shortage of midwives—since universities took to ensure all alcohol packaging included tion would have been expected because of over nursing education in 2000 no graduates warnings advising against drinking during the trend for women to wait longer to have have gained registration as a midwife. pregnancy because there was less awareness children. of FASD in Ireland compared to countries At present the two tests available to detect India such as France and the USA where labelling the condition—chorionic villus sampling was better. (CVS) and amniocentesis—both come with Midwives who had their contracts termi- the risk of causing miscarriage. But new ones nated in the Indian district of Ludhiana in the are expected next year that will require only a Punjab have been reinstated following pro- Sweden blood test to detect the gene variants associ- tests. In November 2008 about 220 auxiliary Babies born to mothers who smoke during ated with Down’s syndrome. nurse-midwives had been employed despite pregnancy have a sixfold risk of developing But Skotko argues that the medical there only being 46 vacancies. The discrep- asthma, according to a Swedish study pre- establishment must be ready to deal with ancy did not come to light until midwives sented at the European Respiratory Society’s the Down’s diagnosis better so that accu- complained about not having received their meeting. A group of Swedish doctors led rate and current information is presented salaries for months. As a consequence 176 of by Professor Anders Bjerg of the Sunderby to the parents and they gain an under- the midwives were relieved of their duties in Central Hospital in Norrbotten studied asth- standing of what living with a child with August without any notice. ma in 3400 children between 1996 and 2008 the condition is like. Health staff have been protesting and cam- and found that smoking leads to the babies In previous research carried out by Skotko paigning for their reinstatement ever since and being born underweight, which increases the he found that expectant mothers who had a in a victory for the employees, the terminated chance of them developing asthma. diagnosis from prenatal testing thought staff will now be given joining letters. AJM 206 AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MIDWIFERY AND WOMEN’S HEALTH, OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2009, VOL 3, NO 4 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Mark Allen Group

Women in Ireland drink the most alcohol in pregnancy

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Mark Allen Group
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 MA Healthcare Limited
ISSN
1759-7374
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2052-4293
DOI
10.12968/ajmw.2009.3.4.44806
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Abstract

INTERNATIONAL Women in Ireland drink the most alcohol in pregnancy By Jane Bainbridge In a Dublin study involving 43 818 Irish women, 7.9% of pregnant women were found to drink nine or ten units of alcohol per week, showing a lack of awareness of the dangerous effects of alcohol on the unborn baby. Mothers who smoked had babies weigh- their doctors had not provided complete Ireland ing on average 211 g less than babies born to and accurate information and sometimes Mothers in Ireland and Britain drink more mothers who did not. Almost a quarter of the the information had been offensive about heavily during pregnancy than those in babies born to mothers who smoked weighed the condition. other EU countries, according to research less than 2.5 kg at birth compared to just presented at an alcohol and pregnancy con- 4.1% for those of non-smoking mothers. Papua New Guinea ference held in Brussels. Dr Siobhan Barry, The study found that among these under- visiting consultant psychiatrist at Coombe weight babies born to smokers the risk of them Maternity services in Papua New Guinea are hospital in Dublin, said her research found developing asthma was 23.5% compared to failing to meet requirements with the number that 7.5% of expectant mothers drank six 7.7% of children of non-smoking mothers of women dying during childbirth rising. Of to nine units per week compared to 6.9% who were an average weight when born. the 200 000 births each year in the country, of UK mothers and 2.9% in the rest of the 120 000 are unsupervised. As a result of the EU. Her research involved 43 818 pregnant lack of medical help more mothers are dying: USA Irish women between July 1999 and March national figures show the maternal death 2005. The number of babies born in the USA with rate doubled between 1996 and 2006 to 733 She said it was ‘desperately worrying’ that Down’s syndrome has been steadily decreas- deaths per 100 000 live births. six out of ten Irish women drank during their ing over the past few years as prenatal test- Despite many of these being low-risk preg- pregnancy. Overall Irish and UK mothers ing has been introduced. Between 1989 and nancies the women die as a result of bleeding were less likely to be non-drinkers in preg- 2005 there was a 15% decrease in the births or post-delivery infections. Unsurprisingly the nancy than those from elsewhere in Europe. of Down’s Syndrome babies, according to Dr hospital maternity units are stretched with The conference marked Foetal Alcohol Brian Skotko from the Children’s Hospital overcrowded wards, women giving birth on the Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day to high- Boston, who has been reviewing existing floor and insufficient staff numbers. Changes light the problems babies exposed to alcohol research on the subject. in the way the health services are run and in the womb can suffer, such as behavioural This decrease is directly attributed to the decentralization have had a negative impact and developmental disorders. Others at the rise in prenatal testing as without it, a rise in on the health-care system. There is a chronic conference called on the Irish government the number of babies born with the condi- shortage of midwives—since universities took to ensure all alcohol packaging included tion would have been expected because of over nursing education in 2000 no graduates warnings advising against drinking during the trend for women to wait longer to have have gained registration as a midwife. pregnancy because there was less awareness children. of FASD in Ireland compared to countries At present the two tests available to detect India such as France and the USA where labelling the condition—chorionic villus sampling was better. (CVS) and amniocentesis—both come with Midwives who had their contracts termi- the risk of causing miscarriage. But new ones nated in the Indian district of Ludhiana in the are expected next year that will require only a Punjab have been reinstated following pro- Sweden blood test to detect the gene variants associ- tests. In November 2008 about 220 auxiliary Babies born to mothers who smoke during ated with Down’s syndrome. nurse-midwives had been employed despite pregnancy have a sixfold risk of developing But Skotko argues that the medical there only being 46 vacancies. The discrep- asthma, according to a Swedish study pre- establishment must be ready to deal with ancy did not come to light until midwives sented at the European Respiratory Society’s the Down’s diagnosis better so that accu- complained about not having received their meeting. A group of Swedish doctors led rate and current information is presented salaries for months. As a consequence 176 of by Professor Anders Bjerg of the Sunderby to the parents and they gain an under- the midwives were relieved of their duties in Central Hospital in Norrbotten studied asth- standing of what living with a child with August without any notice. ma in 3400 children between 1996 and 2008 the condition is like. Health staff have been protesting and cam- and found that smoking leads to the babies In previous research carried out by Skotko paigning for their reinstatement ever since and being born underweight, which increases the he found that expectant mothers who had a in a victory for the employees, the terminated chance of them developing asthma. diagnosis from prenatal testing thought staff will now be given joining letters. AJM 206 AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MIDWIFERY AND WOMEN’S HEALTH, OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2009, VOL 3, NO 4

Journal

African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health – Mark Allen Group

Published: Oct 1, 2009

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