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When women use substances like alcohol, the people around them, including their partners, can largely influence their behavior. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention usually focuses on helping women and girls. But since partners play a huge role, it’s important for health and social workers to include them too. This means offering programs that help partners understand how to plan for a healthy pregnancy, make better choices about drinking, and support their partners during pregnancy. By working together, these programs can help both partners stay healthy and make good choices before and during pregnancy

The Big Question: How Do Partners Affect FASD Prevention?

Traditionally, preventing alcohol use during pregnancy has been seen as the woman’s job. But over time, we’ve learned that partners can also influence whether a woman drinks during pregnancy. For example, women who have partners that drink heavily are more likely to drink during pregnancy.

How Can Partners Increase the Risk of FASD?

  1. Encouraging Alcohol: If a partner tells the pregnant person, it’s okay to drink, it can increase the risk of FASD.
  2. Lack of Support: If a partner doesn’t support the pregnant person’s efforts to avoid alcohol, it makes it harder for them to stop drinking.
  3. Stressful Environments: High-stress relationships or homes can lead to using alcohol to cope. A stressful partner can make the pregnant person more likely to drink.
  4. Misinformation: If a partner doesn’t understand the risks of drinking during pregnancy or gives false info (like saying small amounts are safe), it can lead to harmful decisions.
  5. Unhealthy Lifestyle: If a partner has unhealthy habits, like frequent drinking or drug use, it can make it harder for the pregnant person to avoid alcohol.
  6. Peer Pressure: Social pressure from a partner or their friends can influence the pregnant person to drink.

Why Supportive Partners Are Important

Having a supportive partner can help decrease alcohol use during pregnancy. Supportive partners can provide emotional support, encouragement, and practical help. They can help by being role models, communicating openly, managing stress, and providing access to resources. This support can help people overcome addiction and reduce the risk of FASD.

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