Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - What Is It?

Alcohol is a teratogen. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a result of uninterrupted heavy drinking during pregnancy. FAS is the number one recognized cause of mental retardation. The dangers of consuming alcohol although pregnant have only really become fully understood in recent years. Alcohol will spread to all organs and infiltrates membrane and fetal blood system if a mom drink during pregnancy. Because of this, the alcohol goes straight to the fetus and all its developing tissues and organs. The liver of an adult can process alcohol at the rate of one ounce every two hours, while the liver of the fetus is not able to process alcohol as quickly.

Not all women who drink during their pregnancy give birth to children with FAS, even those who drank frequently. Some baby that are born to alcoholic mothers look to be normal as an infant but develop physical, intellectual, and psychological problems as they grow older, due to exposure of alcohol as a fetus. Children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome develop symptoms such as: low birth weight, small head size, narrow eye slits, flat midface, low nasal ridge, loss of groove between nose and upper lip, muscle problems, bone and joint problems, genital defects, heart defects, and kidney defects.FAS also affects the central nervous system. The child develops symptoms such as mental retardation, alcohol withdrawal at birth, poor sucking response; sleep disturbances, restlessness, irritability, and learning disorders.

Around twenty percent of [infantsbabies] born with FAS will die shortly after birth. Those that live will have a lifetime of intellectual disability to a varying degree as well as physical disabilities.

Approximately one-third of children born to mothers who are alcoholic or who drink heavily during pregnancy are likely to suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome.

Sometimes a child may not suffer from the entire range of problems associated with fetal alcohol syndrome but the alcohol can still cause a child to be born with development problems which have taken place whilst in the uterus.

There is no cure for FAS, but the question is, Can it be treated?Birth defects related to alcohol use are permanent. Surgery can repair some of the physical problems, and school programs can improve mental and physical developments.

Research has shown that pregnant women will reduce or cease their alcohol consumption if they are made aware of the harmful effects of alcohol on their infants. However, the best way to avoid fetal alcohol syndrome is not to drink alcohol during any part of the pregnancy. Even small amounts of alcohol can cause FAS.

Obviously, the best way to avoid this problem is to avoid all alcohol during pregnancy. It is still possible to enjoy social occasions without consuming alcohol and putting your unborn baby at risk.