With a new study out from the Center for Disease Prevention, a statistic has been released that 1 in 20 school children may suffer from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The CDC is claiming that about 3.3 million US women, aged 15-44, are at risk of exposing their developing (hypothetical and/or future) babies to alcohol because they are drinking and not using contraception.
11Alive, a local Atlanta television channel, asked women what they thought about the recommendation. Jessica Vovk took the words right out of my white-wine-loving mouth:
“It’s a sweeping recommendation to an incredibly large audience of women, and it’s a little ridiculous that half the population just shouldn’t drink.”
The CDC claims that their recommendation is ultimately preventative, and released this statement:
“About half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and even if planned, most women won’t know they are pregnant for the first month or so, when they might still be drinking. The risk is real. Why take the chance?”
Kwajelyn Jackson, a manager at the Feminist Women’s Health Center, expressed concern that recommendations like this one could lead to legislation changes.
“Ultimately,” she said, “We have to trust women to make the best most well informed choices for themselves.”
That would be ideal, yes. •
This post, The CDC Says You Should Never Drink Again Just in Case You Get Pregnant, by Abeline Cohen, appeared first on Galore.