The fear of being incarcerated for abusing drugs and alcohol during pregnancy is keeping expectant mothers from seeking vital pre-natal care or substance abuse treatment.

That?s according to Health Minister Patrice Minors, who on Friday in the House of Assembly called on all pregnant women in Bermuda to seek pre-natal care and ensure that they were aware of the dangers associated with the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Mrs. Minors, who recently became a mother for the first time, said women in the community found themselves isolated and stigmatised because of their use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

?The stigmatisation and shame are intensified in the cases when such women are pregnant and continue to use drugs, alcohol and tobacco throughout the pregnancy,? she said.

Mrs. Minors said the initial response to this emotionally charged situation is to punish, criminalise and incarcerate women for daring to abuse drugs and alcohol during pregnancy.

?Unfortunately these strongly negative approaches often only succeed in further stigmatising women who in turn avoid engaging in pre-natal care and substance abuse treatment for fear of being incarcerated,? she said.

She said the result was the birth of addicted babies who in some cases are abandoned by their addicted mothers.

During the three months from October 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004 the National Drug Commission carried out an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and Tobacco Use and Perceptions of Use Survey, among pregnant women.

The purpose of the survey was to gather information on alcohol and tobacco use among pregnant women and to map prevention strategies.

Mrs. Minors said the rationale was that alcohol and tobacco use in pregnancy increases the risk of negative pregnancy outcomes.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause physical and mental birth defects.

Statistics from the United States indicate that each year more than 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol related damage.

She said this figure was considerably less in Bermuda, but still important to note.

However, Mrs. Minors did not submit this figure in the House.

Smoking, she said was also a major public health problem because it not only harmed the women?s health, but smoking during pregnancy could lead to pregnancy complications and serious health problems in newborns.

?Cigarette smoke contains more than 2,500 chemicals and it is not known for certain which of these chemicals are harmful to a developing baby,? she said.

She said the harm to newborns due to smoking included low birth weight, poor growth before birth, pre-term delivery or a combination of both and premature birth.

She said Bermuda had made great strides in providing the community with a treatment facility dedicated to treating and rehabilitating female substance abusers.

Built into the Women?s Treatment Programme is the capacity to treat and manage pregnant female substance abusers.

Mrs. Minors said the data from the AUDIT Survey was currently being used to augment the prevention strategy.

?Females who otherwise would not have thought about the consequences of drinking are now being provided information about the inherent dangers to their unborn babies as a result of binge-drinking or even moderate drinking. The same is noted with regards to smoking and it inherent dangers to the unborn baby,? she said.

Mrs. Minors said information outlining these dangers is currently conveyed at community presentations and is provided to females visiting the Government Clinic and their obstetricians and gynaecologists.

She encouraged all pregnant women to seek pre-natal care and to ensure that they are aware of the dangers associated with the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.