Researchers are uncovering the ways by which dad, mom or both parents drinking can result in fetal alcohol syndrome and other lifelong effects on children.
Sally Casswell, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
New Zealand’s long history with heavy drinking has taken a toll on generations of children. Government policy needs to target fetal alcohol spectrum disorder before it happens.
Public health messaging has focused on the drinking habits of the mother during pregnancy. But a growing body of research shows that what dad is drinking before pregnancy matters too.
Liberal Party backbencher Sharman Stone told the Q&A audience that Australia has some of the highest rates per capita of fetal alcohol syndrome in the world. We check the research.