Don’t worry, it’s not Ireland.
A new study has found that mums-to-be in the UK are the most likely to drink during pregnancy.
Data compiled by the Canadian Institute of Mental Health Policy and Research found that four times more children in Britain suffer from alcohol-related birth defects than compared with the global average.
It is for this reason that researchers believe more expecting mothers in the UK are drinking while pregnant.
The research used data from 24 global studies concerning birth defects.
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or FASD, is caused by alcohol being passed from the mother to the foetus.
Because the unborn child cannot process alcohol, it damages their cells, potentially leading to liver and heart related problems, learning difficulties, and cerebral palsy.
Just over 3.2 percent of people in the UK have FASD, compared to the global average of 0.8 percent.
Author of the study, Dr. Svetlana Popova, has said that this finding should be seen as a “public health priority.”
Similarly, Sandra Butcher of the National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in the UK said that mums-to-be should avoid alcohol at all costs.
“If you would strap a child into a car seat to protect them in case you might have an accident, this is no difference. The best way you can protect your baby’s developing brain is to avoid alcohol.”
