Ahead of International FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) Awareness Day on 9 September, proud Wiradjuri woman and GP-obstetrician Dr Sarah Jane Springer is joining DrinkWise to reinforce the advice that women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should not drink alcohol.

The campaign is also reiterating that for women who are breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest for their baby.

The important health advice is being delivered through trusted information, culturally safe conversations and support networks.

Dr Springer has spent more than 20 years delivering care to women and babies in rural and remote parts of the country, combining clinical expertise with an understanding that health information is most effective when it is delivered through trusted relationships and in ways that respect culture and community.

In August she joined Indigenous women from across the Northern Territory at the Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum in Bawurrbarnda (Emu Springs) in Central Arnhem Land, taking the message about not drinking during pregnancy on Country.

FASD is preventable

Dr Springer told National Indigenous Times FASD is a lifelong condition with lasting "knock-on effects".

"It happens when a baby is exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, and it can affect things like learning, memory, behaviour, language, and decision making; which is really important when we're talking about all of those things that can occur throughout people's life and their ability to make good choices for themselves," she said.

"One really important message is that FASD is preventable, and we want to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that our babies are the healthiest and strongest that they possibly can be for life."

Dr Springer reinforced that FASD is "not just .... something that affects a baby during pregnancy".

"Alcohol affects the developing brain, but particularly alcohol plays a role in affecting the parts of the brain that are involved in learning, in memory, in behaviour, in language, in decision making; so, it affects the brain's ability to be a normal size and weight, and these impacts are what kids carry with them throughout their life," she said.

'It's about approaching it without shame and without judgment'

Dr Springer said raising awareness about and preventing FASD "comes down to how we have the conversations".

"The health messaging is really clear, but it's about approaching it without shame and without judgment, and I think that's probably the missing link that I see is the important factor," she said.

"It's about having cultural safety and applying that into the way in which we speak to our women... If a woman's worried about drinking during pregnancy, the last thing that we want for her is to feel shame or frightened to ask for help.

"For our First Nations women, particularly, having culturally safe care and people around them that they trust makes a massive difference. If we can sit down and have a yarn and make people feel safe, we've got a much better chance of supporting healthy mums and healthy bubs."

She noted that Drinkwise have "identified the fact First Nations communities respond best when they're approached in a culturally safe manner, with people who they know and trust, and can have that non-judgmental, non-shameful conversation about these important topics".

"It does come back to education, awareness, and the continuation of these conversations-not just something that we talk about and then forget. The health advice is the same for every woman, doesn't matter what nationality, what their background is, but how we give that information is really the important piece here.

"For our First Nations women and our First Nations families, we need to make sure the information is culturally safe, it is respectful, and it's coming from people they've developed relationships with, that they know and that they trust."

The effect of good choices is 'healthy babies, and keeping our families and our communities strong'

Dr Springer said when women feel safe and are able to "have those conversations and able to ask those questions without feeling judged", then there is a much better opportunity to support healthy pregnancies, "and therefore the knock-on effect is healthy babies, and then ultimately keeping our families and our communities strong".

She noted that awareness is important for the whole community, so the people around pregnant and breastfeeding women can be supportive of healthy choices.

"This shouldn't all rest on the shoulders of our pregnant women. Our partners and family and friends-they all have a role to play here," Dr Springer told National Indigenous Times.

"Sometimes it's just as simple as making sure the fridge has got non-alcoholic options in it; that we're not pressuring our pregnant women or women planning pregnancy or breastfeeding to drink; that we don't make a big deal out of them not choosing to drink.

"I think the message is really important for the whole of community, and that everybody understands that the easier we make it for our women, the more healthy choices that they can make during their pregnancy, and therefore we can have healthier societies overall."

'There is no amount of alcohol that has been deemed to be safe in pregnancy'

Dr Springer said there are persistent misconceptions around alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

"A lot of people still are of the opinion that one or two drinks won't hurt, but the research clearly states there is no amount of alcohol that has been deemed to be safe in pregnancy," she said.

"For us to be able to completely avoid the situation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, avoidance (of alcohol) is the key.

"Drinkwise has researched and reports that about one in four Australians still think the occasional drink during pregnancy won't harm them. There's clearly more work to be done in this space because, at the at the core of it, the advice is actually really simple; if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy, don't drink alcohol. it's that simple."

New nationally representative DrinkWise research shows Australians overwhelmingly understand the importance of avoiding alcohol during pregnancy, with 89 per cent of Australians over 18 agreeing that not drinking is one of the easiest ways to protect a baby's health during pregnancy.

However, alarmingly, one in four Australians (25 per cent) still believes an occasional drink during pregnancy will not cause harm.

The research also reinforces the important role of partners, families and friends. Among people planning a pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding, 46 per cent turn to partners, friends and family for information (up 40 per cent from 2025), making them the second most-used source after doctors and GPs.

Support from loved ones makes a difference

That influence matters in social situations too. More than four in five women who are or have been pregnant (83 per cent) say that it would make abstaining easier if their partner, friend or family member ensures they have non-alcoholic drinks at family events. Yet only 60 per cent said their partner often or always made sure non-alcoholic options were available at social events while they were pregnant (down from 81 per cent in 2025).

Dr Springer told National Indigenous Times that women who have just discovered they are pregnant should feel comfortable with having a yarn with their doctor, midwife, or other health professional if they're worried, "because we really want women to ask for help, to not feel shame about it, and to get the support around them that they really need".

She said every member of the community can do their part by supporting the women around them by not pressuring people to drink, and by "keeping the conversation open".

"We're not inflicting shame or judgment. I think that's the really important point because we really want our women to feel comfortable in opening up and discussing if they're having dramas or concerns with alcohol, so we can help support them.

"Healthy mums and healthy babies and form strong families, and that's everybody's business."

DrinkWise CEO Simon Strahan said sustained education, trusted voices and strong community partnerships remain central to preventing FASD.

"A continued focus on healthy pregnancies and healthy babies matters. Having trusted voices carry this message into communities continues to be vital, so that every family feels informed to support mums-to-be to not drink during the pregnancy journey," he said.

"Our research shows partners, families and friends are already an important source of information for women. The opportunity is to make sure they understand the advice too and know how they can help - and that can be as simple as ensuring non-alcoholic options are available when socialising.

"Dr Springer brings a respected clinical voice to this work and her ability to deliver culturally relevant education is key to making sure the message resonates and that women feel confident and supported when they make that choice to abstain when planning a pregnancy, when pregnant and when breastfeeding."

The campaign will also continue to feature Aboriginal actor Deborah Mailman's message about not drinking alcohol during pregnancy on Indigenous broadcaster Imparja, helping extend the message to audiences across regional and remote Australia.

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping, call 13YARN on 13 92 76 or visit 13yarn.org.au.

For more information on DrinkWise's annual FASD campaign, please visit DrinkWise.org.au.