Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA

Alcohol exposure during pregnancy can result in FASD by interfering with development of the baby’s brain and other critical organs and physiological functions. This can lead to deficits after birth and beyond.2,3 Alcohol can disrupt development at any stage, even before a woman knows that she is pregnant. If you’ve already consumed alcohol during pregnancy, it’s never too late to stop. Brain growth in the fetus takes place throughout pregnancy, so stopping alcohol consumption as soon as possible is always best. There isn’t a direct test for FAS and pregnant people may not give a complete history of all alcohol intake during pregnancy. Further supporting the observation of within litter differences in molecular responses to PAE, within PAE comparisons of PAE-Norm, Mid, and Low brains revealed several DEGs, with comparisons against PAE-Mid brains showing the greatest changes (Table 1B).

The body of a developing fetus doesn’t process alcohol the same way as an adult does. The alcohol is more concentrated in the fetus, and it can prevent enough nutrition and oxygen from getting to the fetus’s vital organs. Drinking and smoking during pregnancy linked with stillbirth (August 2021)The NIH-funded Safe Passage Study elucidates how stillbirth risk is influenced by the timing and amount of prenatal exposure to the combination of tobacco and alcohol. Call your child’s doctor or other healthcare professional for an appointment if you have any concerns about your child’s growth and development. If one child in a family is diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, it may be important to evaluate siblings for fetal alcohol syndrome if the mother drank alcohol during these pregnancies.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome FAQs

As children with FAS get older, they might develop behavioral problems, have problems learning and retaining information, or struggle with attention and hyperactivity, all of which may worsen as they mature. Fetal alcohol syndrome can also cause milestone (developmental) delays. It’s not known whether a father’s drinking affects their sperm or contributes to fetal alcohol syndrome at conception. A child with fetal alcohol syndrome needs to be watched closely Alcohol’s Effects on the Body National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA to see if their treatment needs to be adjusted. The symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome tend to get worse as a person grows up.

PAE decrease brain and body weights in E14 and P0 offspring

If you think there could be a problem, ask your healthcare provider for a referral to a specialist (someone who knows about FASDs). Specialists could be a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or clinical geneticist. In some cities, there are clinics whose staff members have special training in diagnosing and treating children with FASDs. To find healthcare providers and clinics in your area, contact FASD United’s (formerly NOFAS) Family Navigator program which provides individuals living with FASDs and their family members and caregivers with expert, confidential support and referrals. If you did drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, it’s important to know that your healthcare provider and your baby’s pediatrician need to know to help you plan for your child’s future. Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a person drinks any alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, beer, hard ciders and “hard liquor”.

Take our quiz to test your knowledge of prenatal alcohol exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). If your child is diagnosed with an FASD, the diagnosis will be for a specific condition under the umbrella of FASDs, as listed above. Receiving treatment as soon as possible in childhood can help decrease the likelihood of developing these secondary effects in life.

1. Alcohol exposure during pregnancy can result in FASD by interfering with development of the baby’s brain and other critical organs and physiological functions.
2. Alcohol — including wine, beer, and liquor — is the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the U.S.
3. Modulation of synaptic transmission, neuron projection development, and regulation of long-term neuronal synaptic plasticity were also downregulated, demonstrating a decrease in more mature neuronal processes.
4. Often long acting reversible contraceptives such as the IUD or implant are the best contraceptive alternatives.

This means that some people with mild symptoms of FASD might never be diagnosed. You can avoid fetal alcohol syndrome by not drinking alcohol during pregnancy. If you’re a woman with a drinking problem who wants to get pregnant, seek help from a doctor. If you’re a light or social drinker, don’t drink if you think you might become pregnant anytime soon. Remember, the effects of alcohol can make a mark during the first few weeks of a pregnancy. Visit these blogs for more tips and information about fetal alcohol syndrome.

Abstaining From Alcohol to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fxdy1 regulates Na+/K+-ATPase activity in brain and cardiac tissue, where in the former it modulates neural excitability 60. In primary cerebral cultures, Fxyd1 was downregulated after cotreatment with ethanol and nicotine where it was implicated in alterations in calcium homeostasis 61. Several biological processes related to ion transmembrane transport where downregulated in E14 PAE-Mid and PAE-Low brains, and the downregulation of Fxyd1 at P0 may be a related to those earlier effects. Ideally, you should assess your health before conceiving so you can start your pregnancy on the best foot possible. This should include starting a folate or folic acid supplement and cutting out smoking and drinking. Ask for help if you’re having trouble eliminating alcohol from your life.

Don’t start an alcohol elimination program without telling your healthcare provider. They may be able to direct you to further options for achieving your goals and provide the medical care that may be necessary to withdraw from alcohol. Treatment strategies for FAS include nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions. Because many people do not know they are pregnant during those first few weeks, the risk of FAS increases if you drink alcohol and have unprotected sex.

According to an article by Zhang et al., in the November 5, 2017 issue of Toxicology Letters, animal research that exposed the chick embryo to alcohol may help to understand the exact etiology of brain injury in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) contribute to the formation of the craniofacial bones. Exposure to 2% ethanol (alcohol) induced craniofacial defects in the developing chick fetus. Immunofluorescent staining revealed that ethanol treatment downregulated Ap-2, Pax7, and HNK-1 expressions by cranial NCCs. The use of double-immunofluorescent stainings for Ap-2/pHIS3 and Ap-2/c-caspase 3 showed that alcohol treatment inhibited cranial NCC proliferation and increased NCC apoptosis. Alcohol exposure of the dorsal neuroepithelium increased laminin, N-cadherin, and cadherin 6B expressions while Cadherin 7 expression was repressed.