Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to discourage pregnant mothers from consuming alcohol during pregnancy.

Nicola Blackwood

We want women to make decisions about their health based on the best possible information.

The new United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines provide clear advice for women across the UK that for those who are pregnant, or could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all. This is to keep any risk to the baby to a minimum.

Public Health England is working with relevant professional organisations in England to help midwives and health visitors educate and inform women about avoiding alcohol while pregnant.