Last Updated on July 9, 2021 by Team THIP
Quick Take
Multiple social media messages, memes, and even some mainstream media reports claim that World Health Organization (WHO) has asked women of childbearing age from drinking alcohol. We fact-checked and found that the claim is Mostly False.
The Claim
A news report published on Mail Online (the website of the Daily Mail, a leading newspaper in the United Kingdom) mentions, “WHO Alcohol Action Plan suggests women of child-bearing age should not drink“. The Archived link of the news report can be seen here.
The news report has triggered a lot of comments and memes on social media which can be seen here, here, and here. A few snapshots of such posts are also given below.
Fact Check
Did WHO say anything about women of childbearing age to abstain from alcohol?
Yes. WHO published a report recently titled “Global alcohol action plan 2022-2030” as a part of the SAFER initiative to reduce alcohol-related harm.
A portion of the report states: “It is necessary to raise awareness among decision-makers and the general public about the risks and harms associated with alcohol consumption. Appropriate attention should be given to the prevention of the initiation of drinking among children and adolescents, prevention of drinking among pregnant women and women of childbearing age…” According to the WHO, women of reproductive age are between 15 and 49 years old.
WHO did not suggest a ban on drinking for women of childbearing age. But they suggested raising awareness of the risks of drinking among women of childbearing age.
In a news report in Newsweek on the same issue, a WHO spokesperson clarified that their aim was to “raise awareness of the serious consequences that can result from drinking alcohol while pregnant, even when the pregnancy is not yet known.”
What does medical research and experts suggest about alcohol consumption habits of women of childbearing age?
American Addictions Centre’s website Alcohol.org mentions, “Women who are pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, should focus on a healthy diet and exclude alcohol in order to enhance their nutrition.”
Similarly Australian Government Department of Health funded website Your Fertility mentions, “Women who drink large amounts of alcohol (seven or more drinks a week or more than three drinks on one occasion) are more likely to have heavy or irregular periods and fertility problems.”
However, there aren’t much quality research and conclusive scientific evidence on the effect of alcohol on female fertility. In an editorial piece written by Dr. Annie Britton from University College London, an expert in the epidemiology of alcohol, she notes, “Total abstinence may not be necessary to maximize conception rates […] if alcohol is consumed moderately, it seems that this may not affect fertility.”
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