Discussion of comprehensive negative effects of alcohol on the unborn child: What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders,
How does alcohol affect babies?
How many babies are affected by alcohol before birth?
What level of alcohol is safe for babies?
Drinking alcohol before pregnancy is known,
How to know if a baby has been affected by alcohol,
Protecting babies from FAS and FASD
There is no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy and there is no safe amount of alcohol. Alcohol can harm a baby for life.
If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, no alcohol is the safest choice.
Alcohol drunk by mothers during pregnancy can seriously affect the health and development of their unborn children.
Some of these babies will have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and have signs of harm when they are born including weighing less than expected at birth and having unusual facial features. These babies go on to have a delay in their development and learning and behaviour problems.
The other babies affected by alcohol can also have serious lifelong disabilities without all the features of FAS. These babies are said to have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the biggest preventable cause of birth defects and brain damage in unborn children. There is no cure for FASD.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a developmental problem that is caused before birth when a baby is exposed to alcohol.
Some of these babies are harmed by a relatively small amount of alcohol if the mother drinks during the time that the brain is developing (between the 2nd and 8th weeks of the pregnancy) but most are born to mothers who abuse alcohol during the pregnancy.
Babies affected by FAS are smaller than expected at birth and have unusual facial features including small eye-openings, small faces and jaws and thin upper lips.
Some will also have heart defects, minor joint and limb abnormalities (which can cause some restriction of movements).
These children will usually go on to have significant developmental delay and behaviour problems.
Not all babies of women who abuse alcohol will have FAS. How these babies are protected is not yet known.
The number of affected babies in Australia is not clear.
Using information from other countries, there may be about 30 to 40 babies born with FAS in South Australia each year although the number of babies who are recognised to have FAS is much smaller (in South Australia there are between 18,000 and 19,000 births each year).
Also up to 400 babies may be born in South Australia with alcohol caused effects on development, but not the full effects of FAS.
Most babies with FAS or other effects of alcohol are not identified at birth, partly because many of the women who are using or abusing alcohol are not identified, so doctors do not look for the signs of FAS or other alcohol effects on babies.
Researchers do not know how much alcohol is safe to drink when you are pregnant.
While most women who drink a little alcohol during pregnancy (one or less standard drinks a day) will have babies who have not been affected by alcohol, some babies have been affected by very small amounts of alcohol.
However women who abuse alcohol during their pregnancy are much more likely to have babies who are affected by alcohol than women who are drinking moderately.
As we do not know what a safe level of alcohol consumption is during pregnancy, less alcohol is better, but no alcohol is the best and safest choice.
Around half of all pregnancies are not planned and women may not know they are pregnant until about the 6th week of the pregnancy or later.
Babies are more vulnerable to alcohol in the early weeks of pregnancy, with the highest risk being between 2 and 8 weeks.
If you have already drunk small amounts of alcohol during the pregnancy, the risk to your baby is low, but heavy drinking (such as binge drinking) during that time can cause problems for the baby, especially if other drugs are also used.
Unless a woman is abusing alcohol, exposure to alcohol is usually not thought to be a reason for terminating a pregnancy.
Stopping drinking alcohol at any stage of the pregnancy improves the outlook for a baby's development, so even if you have been drinking, stopping as soon as you know that you are pregnant will increase your chances of having a healthy baby.
In many Aboriginal communities including in Australia and Canada the numbers of women who do not drink alcohol, or only drink small amounts of alcohol is much higher than those who do.
However some young women drink a lot of alcohol and they have a higher risk of having babies with FAS or FASD.
This was not until recently recognised by the communities, but it is now being seen as a very significant problem for the communities.
Through family networks, communities are now able to identify women who are at high risk, and are working to reduce this risk.
Babies with fetal alcohol syndrome may be identified around birth if it is known that the mother has abused alcohol during the pregnancy because they may be small and have the facial features of FAS.
Other babies with FAS or with FASD may not be picked up until they are older, when their behaviour has become a problem or they arhaving learning problems such as delay in starting to talk or difficulties at school. This will only happen if the health professionals ask about alcohol use during pregnancy and mothers take the risk of talking about alcohol use.
Alcohol effects should be considered whenever a child is being assessed for difficult behaviour or developmental delay.
Secondary effects are ones that are not present at birth but occur later and may be preventable if the condition is better understood and if there is more support for children, adults and their families.
Child with mental problem
Mental health problems - Studies have shown that there is an increased risk of many types of mental health problems including ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity), conduct disorder, alcohol or drug dependence, depression and psychotic episodes.
Conduct problems in school - Children with FAS and FASD are more likely than other children to be suspended, expelled or drop out early from school. They can have difficulty getting on with other children and with teachers.
Trouble with the law - Young people with FAS and FASD are more likely to commit crime and to be imprisoned. They may have difficulty controlling anger and frustration and may be violent.
Alcohol and drug dependence - Many people with FAS and FASD have problems with alcohol and drugs.
Independent living - Adults with FAS and FASD may have trouble keeping a job or living independently.
Early diagnosis - Identifying these children early can mean that they get more support for their learning, and their behaviour difficulties are better understood and managed.
Involvement in special education - Identification can enable development of a curriculum that is suited to the individual child.
Support for the family - A large number of children with FAS and FASD end up in alternative care (eg with foster families) sometimes because the parents also have FAS and FASD. Support early and community involvement can enable the child to live within the family or extended family (this can be particularly successful in Aboriginal communities).
Absence of violence - Children with FAS or FASD who are brought up in a family where they do not experience violence are less likely to use violence when they are angry or frustrated.
Many women who become pregnant do not know of the serious effects that alcohol can have on an unborn baby, so increasing knowledge in the community is important.
No alcohol during pregnancy is the best protection for babies. This will also make it easier to not smoke during pregnancy, as drinking alcohol makes it harder to resist smoking. If you want any further information about smoking see the topics 'Cigarettes and smoking'and 'Passive smoking'.
If your child might have alcohol effects on development there is no 'test' that can be done to show that behaviour or learning problems are due to alcohol.
Careful watching of progress with development and behaviour, with support when needed can help prevent or reduce many of the secondary effects.
