Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Basics
Description
- The four major features of classic fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are as follows:
- CNS neurodevelopmental abnormalities
- Facial dysmorphisms
- Growth retardation
- Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy
- First described in 1973; classic FAS has since been recognized as one of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), which include the following:
- FAS, partial FAS (pFAS), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD)
- Taken together, FASDs are 3 times more common than classic FAS, and the effects range from very mild symptoms to very severe.
Epidemiology
Incidence
- Classic FAS: 0.5 to 2 per 1,000 live births
- FASDs: 10 per 1,000 live births in the United States; 23 in 1,000 live births globally
Risk Factors
- Binge drinking historically has been noted to be the primary risk factor, although not all authors agree.
- The highest prevalence of reported alcohol use during pregnancy is among those who are aged 35 to 44 years, African-American, college graduates, or employed.
- Poor maternal nutrition appears to increase risk in the presence of maternal binge drinking.
- Other risk factors include low educational attainment, history of multiple miscarriages and stillbirths, social isolation, history of physical or sexual abuse, and current interpersonal violence.
- Maternal polymorphisms of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (ADH): The presence of the ADH1B*3 allele appears to protect the fetus.
- Concordance of FAS is higher in monozygotic than in dizygotic twins.
General Prevention
- Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should avoid alcohol. No “safe” level of alcohol consumption has been determined during pregnancy.
- Women with alcohol addiction who are or may become pregnant should enter a treatment program.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7.6% of pregnant women reported alcohol use during the month prior to being surveyed and 1.4% reported binge drinking.
- The highest risk for FAS occurs in children whose mothers consume ≥4 drinks per occasion per week (peak blood alcohol level is more important than a lower sustained blood alcohol level).
- In the United States, the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act passed in 1988 requires health warning labels, including risk of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Pathophysiology
- Alcohol and its metabolite acetaldehyde are teratogens.
- Alcohol causes malformation of the developing brain, as well as abnormal brain functioning in multiple regions of the brain.
- Epigenetic changes caused by alcohol can disrupt normal gene expression.
- Abnormalities can occur with alcohol consumption across all gestational ages.
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome." 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 8th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2019. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617641/all/Fetal_Alcohol_Syndrome.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In: Cabana MDM, ed. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617641/all/Fetal_Alcohol_Syndrome. Accessed January 15, 2025.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (2019). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617641/all/Fetal_Alcohol_Syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2019. [cited 2025 January 15]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617641/all/Fetal_Alcohol_Syndrome.
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