NEWS ARCHIVES

Pregnant women who take alcohol risk giving birth to children with physical deformities. Significant proportion of cases of mental illness and physical birth defects has been attributed to alcohol consumption among pregnant women.

This was made known in Accra by Mrs Amanorbea Opoku-Boakye the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Organization on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (GOFA), at a forum to launch the 2008 International Day of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Mrs Boakye indicated that a research conducted between November 2007 and March 2008 shows that 8 percent of women in child bearing age within Accra, Cape Coast and Tarkwa consume various brands of alcoholic beverages, during pregnancy.

The CEO of GOFAS expressed the commitment of her organization to continue its public awareness and advocacy campaign on the Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. The position of GOFAS was corroborated by Dr Akwasi Osei, the head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. Dr Osei has consistently emphasized that pre-natal alcohol consumption cause mental and physical defects to the unborn child.

In a related development an Accra based homeopathy practitioner Mr Charles Mensah has warned that pregnant women who eat white clay (“Ayilo/shire”) risk causing serious health problem to themselves and their unborn babies.

Source: Daily Guide