Although some healthcare experts note that small amounts of alcohol consumption is safe during pregnancy, a new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) Committee on Substance Abuse recommends that pregnant women consume no alcohol during pregnancy. The report was published online on October 19 in the journal Pediatrics.
The report notes that prenatal exposure to alcohol can harm the developing fetus and is the leading preventable cause of birth defects as well as cognitive and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Fetal alcohol syndrome was first described as a specific cluster of birth defects resulting from alcohol exposure in the uterus in 1973. Since then, research clearly revealed that prenatal alcohol exposure causes a broad range of adverse developmental effects. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the general term that includes the range of adverse effects associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. The diagnostic benchmarks for fetal alcohol syndrome are specific, and broad efforts are ongoing to establish definitive criteria for diagnosing the other fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
The report notes that a large and growing body of research has led to evidence-based fetal alcohol spectrum disorder education of professionals and the public, broader prevention initiatives, and recommended treatment approaches based on the following premises:
Alcohol-related birth defects and developmental disabilities are completely preventable when pregnant women avoid consuming alcohol.
- Neurological and behavioral problems resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure are lifelong.
- No amount of alcohol intake should be considered safe
- There is no safe trimester to drink alcohol
- All forms of alcohol, such as beer, wine, and liquor, pose similar risk
- Binge drinking poses dose-related risk to the developing fetus
The report notes that some studies note that most women cease drinking alcohol completely when they are pregnant; however, a small percentage of pregnant women admit that they continue to consume alcohol, and an even smaller amount say they binge drink.
According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, fetal alcohol syndrome causes:
- Problems with brain development
- Lower-than-average height and weight
- Smaller-than-normal head size
- Abnormal facial features
For every child born with fetal alcohol syndrome, many more are born with other fetal alcohol syndrome disorders. These children may have problems with coordination, behavior, attention, learning, and understanding consequences without any of the physical signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.
