Nine Months Matter Public Awareness Campaign Launches to Promote Alcohol-Free Pregnancies
UC San Diego’s Center for Better Beginnings and the newly formed volunteer task force, Better Beginnings Coalition, announce the launch of Nine Months Matter Advocacy Campaign—a public awareness event to alert the community that no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is safe. Nine Months Matter will educate the community on the effects of alcohol on a developing baby with the goal to reduce the number of children born in the U.S. with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) by 80% by the year 2025. The campaign kicked off on September 30th at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club with Dr. Kenneth Lyons Jones, Center for Better Beginnings Co-Director, Dr. Miguel del Campo, Center for Better Beginnings Faculty Member and founding member of the European FASD Alliance, and Judge Marian Gaston with the Superior Court of San Diego County. The event was sponsored by the Morrison and Foerster Foundation and Quest Diagnostics.
In 1973 Dr. Jones and his mentor Dr. David Smith described Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and made the connection between brain injury in newborns and alcohol consumed during pregnancy. Children born with FASD have social, educational and behavioral disabilities. In school, these children have severe learning disabilities. In addition, they have a difficult time assessing right from wrong and don’t understand consequences; as a result, these children and young adults unfortunately often end up in the legal system.
Research has shown consuming alcohol during pregnancy is more dangerous to a developing baby than cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Misinformation is common; many times women are told by their physicians that having a drink or two while pregnant is safe. However, alcohol crosses the placenta and there is no time during pregnancy when it is safe to drink because the brain is constantly developing.
If you would like to join the Better Beginnings Coalition, contact campaign chair Mary Reynolds at mreynolds52@san.rr.com. Visit Nine Months Matter for more information or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ninemonthsmatter/.