Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of drink and drug abuse among pregnant women.

The 2016 UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines provide the public with the most up to date scientific information to help people make informed decisions about their own drinking. The guidelines recommend that if you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to the baby to a minimum. The guidelines are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking

Advice about alcohol and drugs is available to pregnant women as part of their routine antenatal care. Pregnant women who misuse alcohol or drugs will be put in contact with a midwife or doctor who has special experience in the care of pregnant women with alcohol or drug problems. They will be able to refer them to an alcohol or drug treatment programme and other organisations that can help.