Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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September 09, 2022
WHEREAS, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describe a wide range of birth defects and permanent disabilities caused by maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy; and,
WHEREAS, key features of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders can include lifelong physical, intellectual, social, and behavioral disabilities; and,
WHEREAS, individuals, who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, should abstain from drinking alcohol; and,
WHEREAS, prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure, early screening, intervention, and treatment for affected individuals is critical for healthy infants, healthy mothers, and healthy families in Michigan; and,
WHEREAS, the U. S. Surgeon General recommends there is no safe amount of alcohol at any time during pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are totally preventable by avoiding alcohol entirely during pregnancy and are, in fact, the only preventable form of intellectual disability; and,
WHEREAS, in 2020, an estimated 60.1% of women of reproductive age in Michigan, aged 18-44 years, reported one or more drinks of alcohol during the last 30 days and 19.8% reported binge drinking four or more drinks of alcohol on any one occasion during the last 30 days, according to the Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey; and,
WHEREAS, a community study funded by the National Institutes of Health estimates that the full range of FASDs in the United States and some Western European countries might number as high as 1 to 5 per 100 school children; and,
WHEREAS, on this day, we join with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders throughout the state of Michigan and to urge residents to learn more about the hazards of consuming alcohol at any time during pregnancy, as well as the benefits of early screening and intervention to promote maternal, infant, and family health;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 9, 2022, as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day in Michigan.