Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Health Article

Definition

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a set of physical and mental birth defects that can result from a woman drinking alcohol during her pregnancy. The syndrome is characterized by brain damage, facial deformities, and growth deficits. Heart, liver, and kidney defects are also common, as well as vision and hearing problems. These infants generally have difficulties with learning, attention, memory, and problem solving as they get older.

Description

Although there is a wide range of effects that result from in utero alcohol exposure, the diagnosis of FAS is recognized as the most severe birth defect that occurs. Fetal alcohol effect (FAE) is a term used to describe alcohol-exposed individuals whose condition does not meet the full criteria for an FAS diagnosis. The term alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) is used for individuals with functional or cognitive impairments linked to prenatal alcohol exposure, including decreased head size at birth, structural brain abnormalities, and a pattern of behavioral and mental abnormalities. Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) describes the physical defects linked to prenatal alcohol exposure, including heart, skeletal, kidney, ear, and eye malformations.

FAS is the leading known preventable cause of mental retardation and birth defects. It affects one in 100 live births or as many as 40,000 infants born each year in the United States, and it is felt that the incidence is significantly under-reported. An individual with FAS can incur a lifetime health cost of over $800,000. In 2003, FAS cost the United States $3.9 billion in direct costs with indirect costs at approximately $1.5 billion. Children do not outgrow FAS. The physical and behavioral problems can last a lifetime. The syndrome is found in all racial and socio-economic groups. It is not a genetic disorder, so women with FAS or affected by FAS have healthy babies if they do not drink alcohol during their pregnancy.