Alcohol can harm your baby at any stage during a pregnancy. That includes the earliest stages, before you even know you are pregnant. Drinking during pregnancy can cause a group of conditions called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Children who are born with FASD can have a mix of problems, such as medical, behavioral, educational, and social problems. The kinds of problems they have depend on which type of FASD they have. The problems could include :
- Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip
- Small head size
- Shorter-than-average height
- Low body weight
- Poor coordination
- Hyperactive behavior
- Difficulty with attention and memory
- Learning disabilities and difficulty in school
- Speech and language delays
- Intellectual disability or low IQ
- Poor reasoning and judgment skills
- Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
- Vision or hearing problems
- Problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most serious type of FASD. People with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial abnormalities, including wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems and nervous system abnormalities.
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (National Library of Medicine)... pregnancy can cause a group of conditions called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Children who are born with FASD can ...
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- ... AJ, et al. Updated clinical guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Pediatrics . 2016;138(2):e20154256. PMID: 27464676 pubmed. ...
- Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/Start Here ... Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ... Pregnancy and Substance Use/Start Here ... Pregnancy and Substance Use ... National Institute ...
- About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)This page contains basic information about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
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- ClinicalTrials.gov: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (National Institutes of Health)Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/Clinical Trials
- Treatment of FASDs (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders/Treatments and Therapies
- Pregnant women are strongly urged not to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol while pregnant has been shown to cause harm ...