Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a serious condition caused by women drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol is harmful to the developing baby, especially to the brain, which can lead to permanent damage.
The most severe form of this disorder is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS are often smaller than their peers and face learning disabilities and difficulties in relationships.
Sadly, this condition lasts a lifetime, but it is completely preventable if women avoid alcohol throughout their pregnancies, according to the National Department of Health.
In South Africa, particularly in the Northern Cape, the rates of FASD are alarming. It has one of the highest reported prevalence rates in the world. In De Aar, for example, the FASD prevalence rate was once 120 out of every 1,000 births (12%).
However, thanks to the Foundation for Alcohol-Related Research's comprehensive prevention program since 2002, this rate has dropped by 30%. This decrease marked the first reported decline in the prevalence of FASD in the community globally.
