Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), various congenital abnormalities in the newborn infant that are caused by the mother’s ingestion of alcohol about the time of conception or during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most-severe type of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The syndrome appears to result from the effects of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) or its breakdown product acetaldehyde on the developing human embryo or fetus.

The principal symptoms of a child born with fetal alcohol syndrome are retarded growth both before and after birth, various abnormalities of the central nervous system, and certain characteristic abnormalities of the face and head. The latter include microcephaly (small head), short palpebral fissures (small eye openings), ptosis (eyelid droop), epicanthic folds (skin folds over the inside eye corner), a short upturned nose, a long smooth philtrum (area between nose and mouth), a thin upper lip, and a small jaw. The central nervous system abnormalities result in intellectual disability or delayed intellectual development and various behavioral problems, such as poor concentration, impulsiveness, and an inability to consider the consequences of one’s actions. Persons born with FAS may also have abnormalities in various internal organs, including the heart, as well as abnormalities in the joints and limbs.

The overall global prevalence of FAS is uncertain, but the syndrome appears to occur with varying frequency in different countries as well as in different regions within countries. In the United States, FAS occurs with a frequency of anywhere from 0.2 to 2 cases for every 1,000 live births. In the early 21st century, the Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa had some of the highest rates of FAS in the world, with overall estimates ranging from 67 to almost 90 cases per 1,000 live births.

Despite extensive study, it remains unclear as to whether any amount of alcohol can be consumed safely at any stage of pregnancy or even in the weeks prior to conception. However, heavy drinking is clearly linked to FAS, with more than 30 percent of women who drink heavily giving birth to babies with full FAS. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) or alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD), which are other conditions that lie within the spectrum of FASDs. ARND and ARBD are characterized by the presence of some but not all symptoms of FAS.

To help prevent FAS, women are often counseled to abstain from imbibing any amount of alcohol shortly before and during pregnancy. It is also often advised to prolong that period of abstinence throughout breast-feeding, or at least to avoid drinking alcohol during specified hours before nursing, because various other disorders of the newborn have been linked to alcohol in breast milk.