Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: An Introduction
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a condition caused by drinking
alcohol during pregnancy that results in certain birth defects, mental, and behavioral problems.
The
effects of fetal alcohol syndrome last a lifetime. Most children with fetal alcohol syndrome have trouble with work and with personal relationships when they become adults. Many have legal problems.
Fetal alcohol syndrome cannot be reversed, but it can be prevented by not drinking alcohol when pregnant.
Understanding Alcohol's Effect on the Fetus
Alcohol in the mother's blood crosses the placenta freely and enters the embryo or fetus through the umbilical cord.
Alcohol exposure in the first 3 months of pregnancy can cause structural defects (for example, facial changes). Growth and CNS (central nervous system) problems can occur from drinking alcohol any time during pregnancy. The brain is developing throughout pregnancy and can be damaged at any time.
It is unlikely that one mechanism alone can explain the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing fetus. For example, brain images of some people with fetal alcohol syndrome show that certain areas have not developed normally. Certain cells are not in their proper place and tissues have died in some areas.
There is no known amount of alcohol during pregnancy that is safe. There is no known time during pregnancy when alcohol use is safe.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe type of
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Other types of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder are conditions in which individuals have some, but not all, of the characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Terms currently being used, or that have been used, to describe the different types of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders include:
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Partial fetal alcohol syndrome
- Fetal alcohol effects
- Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND)
- Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD).
Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the leading known preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects. The general characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome include:
- Abnormal facial features
- Growth deficiency
- Central nervous system (CNS) problems.
Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Secondary effects of fetal alcohol syndrome are problems that a person is not born with but might acquire as a result of the condition. These secondary effects include:
- Mental health problems
- Disrupted school experience
- Trouble with the law
- Inappropriate sexual behavior
- Alcohol and drug use
- Dependent living and problems with employment
- Problems with parenting.
Diagnosing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
An expert trained to assess birth defects and fetal alcohol syndrome can make a
fetal alcohol syndrome diagnosis. Tests used in diagnosing fetal alcohol syndrome usually include:
- Complete physical exam (height, weight, vision, hearing, cardiogram, etc.)
- Evaluation of the face
- IQ test (for example, WISC or WAIS).
Early diagnosis and intervention can contribute to positive long-term outcomes. Accurate diagnosis of a fetal alcohol syndrome can:
- Help the person receive appropriate services
- Aid communication among clinicians, caregivers, educators, and families
- Provide better self-awareness and understanding by family members.
Treatment for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a permanent condition. It affects every aspect of an individual's life and the lives of his or her family. However, while the condition cannot be cured, treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome is available. For example, some people can be helped with hearing aids or eyeglasses, if necessary. When they go to school, they may need special help. As children with fetal alcohol syndrome get older, they may need special services and support to help them live on their own
(see Living With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome).
Fetal alcohol syndrome research scientists have also identified several factors that may help improve the outcome of someone with the condition. Some of these other factors include:
- Early diagnosis
- Involvement in special education and social services
- A loving, nurturing, and stable caretaking environment
- Absence of violence.
Preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Fetal alcohol syndrome is 100 percent preventable. If a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant, her child will not develop a
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is not genetic or hereditary. If a woman herself has fetal alcohol syndrome, her own child cannot develop it, unless she drinks
alcohol during pregnancy.
Statistics on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The reported fetal alcohol syndrome statistics vary widely. These different rates depend on the population studied and on the surveillance methods used. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) studies show fetal alcohol syndrome rates ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 per 1,000 live births in different areas of the United States. Other prenatal alcohol-related conditions, such as ARND and ARBD, are believed to occur about three times as often as fetal alcohol syndrome.
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