Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition that can occur if a woman drinks while she is pregnant. The more a woman drinks while she is pregnant, the greater the chance she will have a baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol that a pregnant woman drinks enters her bloodstream and passes through the placenta. A developing fetus metabolizes alcohol slower than an adult, which means blood alcohol concentration in the fetus is higher than in the mother. Alcohol interferes with oxygen delivery and disrupts the developing fetus's nutrition.
Prevalence
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the exact number of individuals with fetal alcohol syndrome is not known, but that 0.2 to 1.5 cases of fetal alcohol syndrome occur for every 100,000 births.
Symptoms
The Mayo Clinic states that fetal alcohol syndrome is a cluster of related problems and is the most severe complication that occurs to fetuses exposed to alcohol. Symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome include heart defects, deformities of the limbs, vision problems, hearing problems, sleep problems, mental retardation, learning disorders, poor coordination, and delayed development. People with fetal alcohol syndrome often have distinct facial features such as small eyes, thin upper lip, an upturned nose and small head circumference. Short attention span, hyperactivity, poor impulse control and anxiety may also be prominent in people with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Fetal Alcohol Effects
Children with fetal alcohol effects are not as impaired as children born with fetal alcohol syndrome. The American Pregnancy Association lists two categories for fetal alcohol effects, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ANRD) and alcohol-related birth defect (ARBD). People with ARND have mental and behavioral problems, including learning disabilities, poor school performance, poor impulse control and problems with attention span. People with ARBD have deformities of the skeletal system and problems with the heart, kidneys, bones and hearing.
Treatment
There is no cure for people with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects. Mental and physical symptoms persist for a lifetime. Therapy can help with behavior problems and mental issues and severe heart defects may require surgery. Special services available in school can help with learning problems.
Prevention
FamilyDoctor.org states that there is no amount of alcohol that is safe to drink during pregnancy. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol during the entire pregnancy. Having three or more drinks at one time is especially dangerous for a developing baby because the alcohol content in the mother’s blood can rise quickly. Each pregnancy is different, so if a woman drank during one pregnancy without consequences to the baby, it does not mean she can drink if she gets pregnant again.
