Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Summary
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are 100% preventable.  If a woman does not consume alcohol while pregnant, her child will not be born with any fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.  Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders may cause birth defects and/or developmental disabilities that may affect how a child grows, learns, looks and acts.  These disorders may also cause defects in the major organs that last a lifetime. (1) 

Prenatal exposure to alcohol may cause a range of disorders, also known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).  One of the most severe disorders is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – FAS is caused by a woman drinking alcohol during her pregnancy and her child could have FAS which is a condition that lasts a lifetime of mental and physical disabilities.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome 

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is characterized by certain facial features, low birth weight, and damage to the central nervous system. People with FAS may have difficulties with learning, attention span, memory, vision and hearing or a combination of any of these.  It has been estimated to occur in 1 to 3 babies out of every 1,000 live births. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, including FAS, are estimated to occur in about 1 in 100 births. 

Other FASDs

Five thousand children are born each year in the United States with full FAS. As many as 50,000 children are born with Fetal Alcohol Effects or other less severe conditions such as Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) or Alcohol Related Birth Defects (ARBD); these children usually lack the facial abnormalities of the full syndrome but still exhibit the attention deficits, learning disorders, and serious behavioral difficulties common among children exposed to alcohol in utero. Children with ARBD are more likely to experience problems with their heart, kidneys, bones, and/or their hearing. (3) 

Locally

In Montana, an estimated 21 children are born each year with FAS, and 87 are born with alcohol-related birth defects.

Long Term Factors

The cost to the state of caring for children and adults affected by FAS and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is around $24 million a year. This does not take into account the personal toll on individuals struggling with disabilities or their families. Children with FASDs are at risk for other secondary conditions such as psychiatric problems, criminal behavior, incomplete education and unemployment.

Sources
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alcohol Consumption Among Women Who are Pregnant or Who Might Become Pregnant, MMWR, December 24, 2004.
2. National Indian Justice Center, Preparing a Health Path: The Impacts of FAS/ARND on Tribal Justice Systems, 2006.
3. Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services