Call to test newborns for mums’ drinking

A leading neonatologist has called for tests to be carried out on newborn babies to show how much alcohol mums-to-be are drinking while pregnant.

Dr Adrienne Foran said the extent to which babies are being harmed needs to be publicly acknowledged. The risks faced by unborn babies whose mothers consume alcohol is the "elephant in the room", she said, adding that the after-effects are seen in children at age two or three with learning difficulties.

She called for funding for a test to be carried out anonymously on the baby's first bowel movement to determine the extent of the problem.

Source: Irish Independent, 25/09/15