lcp
We have detected you are using Internet Explorer. To provide the best and most secure experience, please use a modern browser as we do not support Internet Explorer.

Every moment matters in asking about alcohol in pregnancy

13 October 2023 - Joanna Le

 

Understanding The Impact Of Alcohol In Pregnancy

There is a lot of misinformation about alcohol and pregnancy. 

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) has developed Every Moment Matters, a national health campaign supporting alcohol-free pregnancies and safe breastfeeding practices. 

National Guidelines: Keeping Pregnancies Alcohol-Free

The campaign is based on the updated National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking. The Guidelines state:  

  • women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol 

  • women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby 

The Impact Of Every Moment Matters Campaign

The results of the ongoing external evaluation of the campaign demonstrate it is making a difference, with surveys of the target audience finding that between January 2022 and March 2023: 

  • 82.3% of respondents stated there is no safe number of alcoholic drinks that can be consumed during pregnancy (up from 58.3%) 

  • 80.3 % of respondents reported not drinking any alcohol in pregnancy (up from 68.8%) 

  • 63.5% of respondents have heard of FASD (up from 52.3%) 

  • 70.2% of respondents now know that FASD is a risk of alcohol consumption in pregnancy (up from 59.4%) 

  • 90.9 per cent of respondents said they will not drink alcohol if they become pregnant (up from 82.6 per cent). 

The impact of Every Moment Matter Campaign

As a health professional, you play a crucial role in supporting families and providing advice about alcohol, pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

Free Accredited E-Learning Course

The Every Moment Matters eLearning course aims to support health professionals to provide advice based on the latest research and evidence. 

The course is free and accredited by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM).   

Positive Feedback From Health Professionals

  • 93% strongly recommend the course

  • 92% identified it as highly relevant

  • 91% recommended it to their colleagues  

Enhancing Confidence And Knowledge

Health professionals also reported increases in their: 

  • Confidence in providing advice about alcohol & pregnancy, (from 61% to 87%) 

  • Confidence in providing advice about alcohol & breastfeeding (from 54% to 90%) 

  • Knowledge about referring for further support (from 44% to 76%)    

 

Enrol for the course now, and learn more about Every Moment Matters.

free accredited elearning - supporting alcohol-free pregnancy and safe breastfeeding

 

References 

  1. Caruso, J., Ellis, R., Miller, C., Bowden, J. National Awareness Campaign on Alcohol, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Preliminary Impact of the Every Moment Matters Campaign on knowledge and behavioural intentions: South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Adelaide, Australia: May 2023.

  2. Mattson SN, Bernes GA, Doyle LR. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A review of the neurobehavioral deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2019; 43(6): 1046-1062. 

NHMRC Australian guidelines to reduce health risks drinking alcohol 2020 https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol

Joanna Le
Joanna Le

Projects and Partnerships Director
Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education

Joanna is responsible for overseeing health promotion and partnerships at the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE). 

Joanna has held a range of leadership roles in the not-for-profit and government sectors, with a focus on strategic communication, funding development, and community and stakeholder engagement.

She is a Board Director of Northside Community Service, and former Board Director of Women’s Legal Centre ACT and YWCA Canberra.

She holds a Master of Strategic Communication from the University of Canberra, and a Bachelor of Digital Media from the University of New South Wales. 

Related Categories
Get Medcast Plus

Become a member and get unlimited access to 100s of hours of premium education.

Learn more
Related News
How can GPs stay up to date with the rapid changes in medical knowledge?

Medcast Medical Education Team

GPs are working harder than ever before, with longer, more complicated patients at a time when medical knowledge is changing and expanding faster than at any time in history.

5 mins READ
Recurrent pregnancy loss - clinical fact sheet and MCQ

Medcast Medical Education Team

Brand icon

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects up to 4% of couples trying to conceive. This FastTrack has been developed from the recent RANZCOG guidelines from March 2025. Upskill in your ability to help these patients, including pertinent investigative tests and management of underlying causes. 30min each of RP and EA CPD available with the quiz.

10 mins READ
Advance your practice - look beyond meeting NMBA requirements for CPD

Susan Helmrich

Seeking guidance on which courses to prioritise before the CPD year concludes? You're not alone! Essential CPD for Australian nurses covering skills, patient care & standards.