15 October
National Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day aims to reinforce messages about the risk of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and to encourage early prevention of foetal alcohol syndrome disease.
Facts about foetal alcohol syndrome:
- No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.
- According to World Health Organisation (WHO), foetal alcohol syndrome is the biggest cause of mental retardation in North America, Canada and South Africa.
- The number of people affected by foetal alcohol syndrome is three to five times more than those with HIV and AIDS.
- The highest reports of foetal alcohol syndrome cases in South Africa are in the Western Cape province, and this is believed to be as a result of the Dop system; a criteria by which wine manufacturers pay workers with alcohol.
- Foetal alcohol syndrome is 100 percent preventable but it cannot be cured.
More information
Event Category
