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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Receiving treatment as soon as possible in childhood can help decrease the likelihood of developing these secondary effects in life. During the first trimester, alcohol can alter the facial features drunken baby syndrome of the baby, resulting in a lack of philtrum (the small ridge between nose and lip) and a small head size.
Developmental stages
Fetal alcohol syndrome is on the severe end of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD is a range of conditions in the child caused by the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Using alcohol during pregnancy can cause the same risks as using alcohol in general. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it easily passes across the placenta to the fetus. Alcohol use during pregnancy causes life-long issues that can be very serious.
Paternal Alcohol Use
- The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, or FASDs, describes a broad group of conditions that result from prenatal alcohol exposure.
- These include medicines to help with some symptoms, medical care for health problems, behavior and education therapy, and parent training.
- Still, it is a good idea to limit alcohol consumption while providing breast milk to your baby because alcohol can pass through your milk to your baby.
- FASDs can only happen if someone consumes alcohol while they are pregnant.
- Also, not all people who drink while pregnant feel comfortable talking to their healthcare provider.
Fetal alcohol syndrome happens when a person drinks any alcohol during pregnancy, including wine, beer, hard ciders and “hard liquor”. One reason Alcoholics Anonymous alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy is that it’s passed through your bloodstream to the fetus through the umbilical cord. The baby doesn’t metabolize (break down) alcohol in the same way an adult does – it stays in the body for a longer period of time. This condition can be prevented if you don’t drink any alcohol during pregnancy. It’s possible that even small amounts of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can damage your developing fetus. If you are pregnant and can’t stop drinking alcohol, ask your obstetrician, primary care doctor or other healthcare professional for help.
What do I do if I did not know I was pregnant and have been drinking?
Not all infants exposed to alcohol in utero will have detectable FASD or pregnancy complications. The risk of FASD increases with amount consumed, the frequency of consumption, and the longer duration of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, particularly binge drinking. The variance seen in outcomes of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is poorly understood. Diagnosis is based on an assessment of growth, facial features, central nervous system, and alcohol exposure by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. The main criteria for diagnosis of FASD is nervous system damage and alcohol exposure, with FAS including congenital malformations of the lips and growth deficiency.
And as the baby continues to develop in the womb, it’s damaging to drink at any time during pregnancy. There are a few studies that share a reassuring sentiment and claim there are usually no adverse effects of drinking a small amount during pregnancy. However, for people with a history of alcoholism, avoiding alcohol during pregnancy is of the utmost importance.
- Using alcohol during pregnancy can cause the same risks as using alcohol in general.
- Almost all experts recommend that the mother abstain from alcohol use during pregnancy to prevent FASDs.
- People with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial abnormalities, including wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems and nervous system abnormalities.
- Children with an FASD can have brain abnormalities that lead to problems in day-to-day functioning despite having a normal IQ, so a comprehensive evaluation is indicated.
- There are concerns about long-term, repeated exposures of infants to alcohol via breast milk, so moderation is advised.
What causes fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
During those early weeks of pregnancy, the fetus is going through a massive surge of development. Alcohol use during this time could negatively impact the baby. The more you drink while pregnant, the greater the risk to your unborn baby. Your baby’s brain, heart and blood vessels begin to develop in the early weeks of pregnancy, before you may know you’re pregnant.
How are FASDs diagnosed?
If you cannot stop drinking, talk with your doctor or contact local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups or a local alcohol counselor or treatment center. AA is a cost-free fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcohol use disorder. FASDs can only happen if someone consumes alcohol while they are pregnant.
