This article explores how mother-blame narratives are deeply embedded in epigenetics and health discourse, particularly within the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. The authors argue that scientific findings are often misrepresented in media and public health messaging, leading to an oversimplified and harmful focus on maternal responsibility for child health outcomes.
The paper highlights how Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is frequently framed in a way that places sole responsibility on mothers, reinforcing stigma and guilt while ignoring broader societal, structural, and paternal influences on alcohol use during pregnancy. This gendered and inequitable narrative has significant consequences, including increased shame, reduced access to support, and the neglect of systemic barriers that contribute to prenatal alcohol exposure.
To counteract mother-blame narratives, the authors advocate for a biosocial approach that integrates biological, social, and environmental factors rather than placing sole responsibility on individual behavior. They emphasize the need for inclusive, non-stigmatizing public health communication that accounts for social determinants of health, systemic inequities, and the roles of fathers and broader communities in supporting healthy pregnancies.
Reflection Questions for FASD Prevention Conversation Facilitators:
1. How do traditional FASD prevention messages contribute to or challenge mother-blame narratives? What language shifts could help reduce stigma?
2. What role do social determinants of health—such as poverty, food insecurity, and systemic racism—play in shaping alcohol use during pregnancy?
3. How can public health messaging on FASD prevention move beyond individual responsibility and focus on structural and systemic changes that support healthier pregnancies?