Alcohol can affect the development of the fetus at any pregnancy stage, including at the initial stage, when the woman does not know that she is pregnant, the National Public Health Agency warns in connection with International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day that is annually marked on the ninth day of the ninth month, IPN reports.

The theme for this year’s FASD awareness month is Building Strengths and Abilities. Global trends of increasing alcohol use among women of childbearing age due to economic development, changing gender roles, increased availability of alcohol, peer pressure and social acceptability of women’s alcohol use may put an increasing number of pregnancies at risk for prenatal alcohol exposure.

Alcohol use is increasing at an alarming rate among women globally, particularly among women of childbearing age (15–49 years) and pregnant women. Alcohol consumption has increased in terms of the prevalence of current drinkers, and in the volume and frequency of drinking among drinkers, as well as the lowering of the age of initiation for alcohol use.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person who was exposed to alcohol before birth. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning. Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these problems.