Early childhood and parenting support provider Ngala has welcomed the state government's new advertising campaign encouraging women to eliminate alcohol from their lives while pregnant.

While Ngala does not diagnose Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, the community based antenatal support centre urges women who are thinking about starting a family to avoid alcohol like poison.

"At the pre-stage of when people are considering having another baby or starting a family it is important that they know this message very, very loud and clear – that alcohol is a metabolic poison and when your baby is in that vulnerable state of brain growth it's going to damage it," Ngala antenatal educator and nutritionist Stephanie Fairbairn said.

"It can take years for parents to realise that something is not quite right and that something is wrong with their child, the picture can be very confused."

Ms Fairbairn added age and stress are also issues for mothers-to-be.

"These days, people are starting their families later and that goes hand-in-hand with a longer lifespan of drinking and potential damage to your liver. This corresponds to that fact that your body is less likely to be able to detoxify so you pass on that legacy of metabolism when you're pregnant."

Ms Fairbairn said Ngala see a lot of women who suffer severe anxiety after learning they were pregnant and feel guilty for drinking.

"If you spend the whole nine months just stressed out of your head worrying about the affects alcohol may or may not have you'll definitely do some extra damage as stress affects brain development in a negative way too," she said.

Ms Fairbairn welcomes the new "no alcohol during pregnancy is the safest choice" campaign, which, for the first time, is directed to the general population as opposed to previous warnings which were focused on indigenous Australians.

Claremont resident Kate Foley, whose six-year-old cousin was diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, is also pleased more people will be alerted to the risks of drinking with a baby on board.

"My cousin's mum drank moderately during pregnancy and my cousin now has diagnosed foetal alcohol syndrome with facial irregularities and learning difficulties. It's a terrible price to pay," Ms Foley said.

"Her mum liked a drink and drank every night with dinner, about a glass. She was not a heavy drinker but it seems ever a glass a day did damage. The doctors confirmed she had FAS."

According to research, women who consume alcohol during the early stages of pregnancy put their child's brain and facial development at risk.

Symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome include behavioural issues such as ADHD, learning difficulties, a flat head and small facial features.

Follow WAtoday on Twitter @WAtoday