When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn child. As a result, nearly 40,000 children are born each year with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) across the nation, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In 1999, September 9 was officially chosen as first National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day, and the distinction has continued each year since then. The ninth day of the ninth month was chosen as a reminder to women to avoid alcohol during their nine months of pregnancy.
In 2011, based on data from Maine’s Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHS), 9.4 percent of pregnant women age 15 to 44 in Maine reported current alcohol use. In addition, 2.6 percent reported binge drinking, which is defined as having four or more drinks in a row. The 2011 Maine data shows that nearly 10 percent of pregnant women reported drinking in the past month and almost 1 percent reported binge drinking in that same time period. > > > > Read More
