Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara J. Krulewitch
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Birth Defects ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Drinking Behavior ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol

Alcohol is a potent teratogen in humans, and prenatal alcohol exposure is a leading preventable cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities. The term fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to a pattern of birth defects found in children of mothers who drank during pregnancy. FAS has four criteria: maternal drinking during pregnancy, a characteristic pattern of facial abnormalities, growth retardation, and brain damage (often manifested by intellectual difficulties or behavioral problems). As surveillance and research have progressed, it has become clear that FAS is but a rare example of a wide array of defects that can occur from exposure to alcohol in utero. At least 1 in 10 women will continue to consume alcohol during pregnancy, putting their fetuses at risk for the effects of alcohol exposure.Nurses are in a key position to provide care and conduct research that will contribute to the prevention of the adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure during the preconception and perinatal periods, as well as deal with the negative outcomes of exposure in the developing infant. Many areas have yet to be evaluated. Screening tools and interventions have been developed and tested, mostly in majority cultures. Culturally sensitive instruments must be generated and validated for high-risk groups such as Native Americans. Fetal alcohol biomarkers and genetic research are new and need considerably more work. Effective “no drinking during pregnancy” campaigns for high-risk groups must be created and tested. Nurses are well placed to conduct research that will describe the effects at social, behavioral, and biological levels; develop middle-range theories targeted at preventing the drinking behavior and optimizing care of affected children after birth; and generate and test effective interventions that enhance prevention strategies in the 21st century.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Wilson Jones ◽  
W. Thomas Bass
Keyword(s):  
Mental Retardation ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome ◽  
Birth Defects ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
The World ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Pregnant Mothers

FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (FAS) is the leading known cause of mental retardation and birth defects in the world.1,2 It is caused by in utero exposure to alcohol and is entirely preventable. Because alcohol is a known teratogen and the damage done to a fetus by alcohol exposure is permanent, public education about the dangers of prenatal alcohol exposure has been extensive. Nevertheless, alcohol is a widely accepted and legal social drug, and many pregnant mothers continue to drink it while pregnant. Other mothers drink before they are aware of their pregnancy. This column provides information regarding the incidence of FAS, its etiology, spectrum of effects, and diagnosis. We also discuss potential disabilities that these infants may face as they grow and suggest how to work effectively with the families.

scholarly journals Exploring the experiences of social workers in working with children suspected to have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-172
Author(s):  
David J Gilbert ◽  
Raja AS Mukherjee ◽  
Nisha Kassam ◽  
Penny A Cook
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
The Social ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is one outcome from prenatal alcohol exposure. Social workers are likely to encounter children with the condition, due to the greater likelihood of prenatal alcohol exposure among children in social services settings. This study explores the experiences of social workers in working with children suspected of having FASD and the support offered to social workers, the children and their families. Semi-structured interviews followed by qualitative framework analysis were conducted with seven child and family social workers along with one child protection solicitor who had experience of handling FASD cases. The two main themes that emerged from the data were a lack of knowledge about FASD and the paucity of diagnosis. Lack of knowledge among the social workers was linked to difficulty in managing children suspected to have the condition, feelings of frustration and normalisation of challenging behaviours. The paucity of diagnosis led to an under-emphasis of FASD in assessments, a dearth of specialist services and confusion about its specific effects in contexts of multiple substance misuse and harmful socio-environmental factors. The need for increased FASD awareness within social services and the development of FASD-targeted support for children and families is highlighted. Social workers would benefit from the inclusion of FASD-focused training in their curricula and professional development plans. Improving the diagnostic capacities of health institutions would address the paucity of diagnosis and raise the profile of FASD, especially in the social services setting.

Synthesizing Animal and Human Studies of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 648-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Connor
Keyword(s):  
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Behavioral Disturbances ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Maternal Alcohol Abuse ◽  
The Impact

The primary focus of this volume is on the impact of alcohol on brain development. It is a perfect example of how research on both animals and humans can interact to produce very important findings. In the case of prenatal alcohol exposure, dialogue between animal and human researchers has proved to be very profitable for both lines of research. Initial observations by human researchers identified a syndrome of facial stigmata, physical malformations, and early behavioral disturbances that was related to maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy. They gave this syndrome the name Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. However, human researchers were unable to state unequivocally that prenatal alcohol exposure was teratogenic to the fetus. Thus, they turned to animal researchers who were able to model Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in a variety of animals and to confirm the teratogenicity of alcohol on the developing fetus. The quarter century of studies of the damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure is replete with such interactions between these two groups of researchers. Without the input and pioneering studies of animal researchers on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, human researchers would have much less understanding of the damage caused by alcohol exposure in utero or insights into possible treatment or remediation strategies for those damaged by alcohol exposure.

Neuroimaging effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing human brain: a magnetic resonance imaging review

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 251-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Ann Donald ◽  
Emma Eastman ◽  
Fleur Margaret Howells ◽  
Colleen Adnams ◽  
Edward Patrick Riley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Corpus Callosum ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol

ObjectiveThis paper reviews the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) literature on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing human brain.MethodA literature search was conducted through the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Combinations of the following search terms and keywords were used to identify relevant studies: ‘alcohol’, ‘fetal alcohol spectrum disorders’, ‘fetal alcohol syndrome’, ‘FAS’, ‘FASD’, ‘MRI’, ‘DTI’, ‘MRS’, ‘neuroimaging’, ‘children’ and ‘infants’.ResultsA total of 64 relevant articles were identified across all modalities. Overall, studies reported smaller total brain volume as well as smaller volume of both the white and grey matter in specific cortical regions. The most consistently reported structural MRI findings were alterations in the shape and volume of the corpus callosum, as well as smaller volume in the basal ganglia and hippocampi. The most consistent finding from diffusion tensor imaging studies was lower fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies are few to date, but showed altered neurometabolic profiles in the frontal and parietal cortex, thalamus and dentate nuclei. Resting-state functional MRI studies reported reduced functional connectivity between cortical and deep grey matter structures.DiscussionThere is a critical gap in the literature of MRI studies in alcohol-exposed children under 5 years of age across all MRI modalities. The dynamic nature of brain maturation and appreciation of the effects of alcohol exposure on the developing trajectory of the structural and functional network argue for the prioritisation of studies that include a longitudinal approach to understanding this spectrum of effects and potential therapeutic time points.

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Risk of Birth Defects

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. e843-e850 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. O'Leary ◽  
N. Nassar ◽  
J. J. Kurinczuk ◽  
N. de Klerk ◽  
E. Geelhoed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Defects ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol
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