No alcohol for women of child bearing age !

I agree
That’s pretty much how it was

I don't know why the draft is published MHBP1.

Expecting clarity is fine.

Accusations of misogyny and patriarchy because of a few words in a draft is, IMO, a bit over the top.

Other opinions may exist.

Alegrias1

WHO statement on the matter: The current draft of WHO's global action plan does not recommend abstinence of all women who are of an age at which they could become pregnant. However it does seek to raise awareness of the serious consequences that can result from drinking alcohol while pregnant, even when the pregnancy is not yet known.

But let's keep on beating them up, why not.

(Sorry about the double post)

‘Even when the pregnancy is not yet known’
What does that actually mean?
As an international org funded by public money my expectations are that when publishing anything they provide clarity.
A draft is published for public comment, is it not?

WHO advised all women of childbearing age not to drink alcohol which is a bit odd and totally blanks the women who have no intention of having kids and discounts the damage alcohol can do to male sperm - typical mysoginist thinking

Not ever drinking too much makes sense. Not drinking while trying to conceive or while pregnant makes sense.
For the rest of the time, simply self-id as a man. To be inclusive, the same rule can apply to trans either way.

I love a bit of hyperbole in the morning....

@NanKate

The World Health organisation have suggested women of child bearing age should be banned from taking alcohol.

I know it's currently only a suggestion but...

If this were to become law, it would mean that men would be allowed to drink at any age from 18 upwards but women not until menopause!

Totally sexist! Men should be treated the same, which in essence would raise the legal drinking age to 50/55ish!

Oooohhhh just imagine how much moonshine would be getting made secretly!

Should this be on mumsnet?? Us grans are too old for this and our (younger) DD's and Daughters-in-law, can make up their own minds.?

Misogynisic patriarchal bullshit! That is all I have to say on the matter.

I’m not sure there is yet any evidence that light intake of alcohol has an adverse effect in pregnancy. That’s not to say it’s a good thing, either, but as I understand it, the research hasn’t yet been done. It would probably be hard to ethically research it anyway.

It’s not illegal to drink in pregnancy in the US. My dil had two babies in California. Her consultant said she could have a glass of wine now and then if she wished. Given the litigious tendency of American society, I doubt he would be saying this if there was any chance he’d be sued.

Perhaps paying as much attention to the women and children who are murdered by men who drink would yield more benefits.

Yes all women, and men!, have to be sensible around conception time and onwards. But WHO need to up their game re advice. They got it quite wrong in early days of covid.

I do not think that women who are planning a child should drink and I also think that drinking while pregnant should be made illegal like it is in USA. Alcohol damages the unborn child, so if you are trying to conceive refrain from ALL alcohol. It's only a few months out of your life but a life sentence for an unborn child.

not every woman wants children - so should they be told to abstain too?

MarjieM sorry about the spelling

As Marjymay says not all women want to have children. Also, some may be naturally infertile, or have had hysterectomies, or have 'completed' their families and are on the pill. And what about transgender women of child bearing age?
Glad it's just click~bait. We hope.

Inflammatory headlines are called 'click-bait' and it works. Look at how many of us responded.

Surely we can make an informed choice.We all know what damage it can do to a foetus in the first 12 weeks.l choose to abstain for the whole pregnancy but that was my choice.

Katie59 I used to live in Sweden where the state liquor stores were only open 10-5 monday to friday. It was also horrendously expensive! This didn't stop anyone drinking, just made it harder to get so people made homebrew or imported it, popping over to Denmark in their little sailing boats. The state was also very directive re drinking with pregnant women and ran special alcahol awareness classes for pregnant women who admitted (as did my German friend) to having a celebratory glass of champagne when she discovered she was preggers I've no idea what difference it made to be honest.

Foetal alcohol syndrome, which is the worry, will not be caused by the odd glass of wine. By all means warn of the dangers of drinking even medium amounts of alcohol whilst pregnant, but do not instill fear in those who have had the odd drink and then found out they were pregnant and want to keep the baby. Spending the whole pregnancy with the groundless fear that you might have damaged your child is not healthy either. We have enough fears instilled into us already.

Drinking to excess at any age, whether male or female is never a good idea, especially on a regular basis, but I doubt any mutterings from the WHO will make any difference!

WHO statement on the matter: The current draft of WHO's global action plan does not recommend abstinence of all women who are of an age at which they could become pregnant. However it does seek to raise awareness of the serious consequences that can result from drinking alcohol while pregnant, even when the pregnancy is not yet known.

But let's keep on beating them up, why not.

(Sorry about the double post)

WHO statement on the matter:

While I think this is stupid , I do think female drinking is portrayed wrongly especially on many TV programmes , women are often seen opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of wine for a relaxing drink while cooking due to the "stress" of everyday normal living. Also when a group of ladies get together they are always seem to get them stupid drunk. I don't think all ladies are like this but perhaps we need to reign this image in and perhaps silly statements like this will stop.

Alegrias1

Marjgran

Not what I heard so can’t understand the amount of coverage - WH inflated the issue, WHO man clearly said it was a draft, that the idea is that warning should be given to anyone wishing to / at risk of / being pregnant that there is no safe level of alcohol in early pregancy. A case of taking a double gin and cold bath, and deep breath.

I agree wholeheartedly Marjgran and the others who have made similar points.

It's one line of text in a 33 page draft document. I expect it will be gone from the final document, or the word "prevent" will become "discourage".

While we should always be aware of any action that seeks to undermine our rights, describing this as misogynistic and paternalistic is, IMO, over-reaction. At a time when the WHO is under attack from many sources, you have to wonder why a draft document is being reported on and why it is causing so much angst.

because the people who wrote the draft could not see why it shouldn't be there....thought its was "okay". I am betting if there hadn't been pushback then it would have still been there when it was published as the finished document

If alcohol had been introduced to society in modern times it would have never been made legal. Nasty substance with masses of side effects. The bottom line is the government need the revenue it creates rather than it being produced in small at home breweries and sold on the black market.

I tried to read the whole document but it's turgid.