Fetal alcohol syndrome: Diagnosis, epidemiology, and developmental outcomes

Abstract

In Australia the issue of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has not been the subject of policy development or of extensive research. There is a lack of knowledge, both in the general community and by health professionals, of the nature of the risks associated with heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the factors that increase this risk. This paper reviews the literature surrounding FAS with the aim of providing the reader an understanding of the diagnostic features and epidemiology of FAS and of the developmental sequelae associated with this syndrome.

The health and nutrition of young indigenous women in north Queensland – intergenerational implications of poor food quality, obesity, diabetes, tobacco smoking and alcohol use

“…Low birth weight increases risk of diabetes, CVD (1) , renal disease (2) and some cancers in adulthood; low maternal intake of micronutrients increases risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring; low concentrations of dietary and circulating folate during pregnancy are associated with increased risks of preterm delivery, low birth weight in infants and fetal growth retardation (3) ; high maternal glycaemia in pregnancy increases perinatal morbidity and also the risk of early obesity and diabetes in the offspring (4) ; and fetal exposure to maternal tobacco and alcohol is teratogenic (5,6) . Babies of teenage mothers, especially those with low educational attainment, are at a higher risk of immediate and long-term ill-health (7) .…”

Pregnant Women Never Drink Alone (Part 1)

“…According to the article, sufficient evidence had accrued to demonstrate unequivocally that alcohol pregnancy produced a recognizable pattern of foetal malformation, which should be identified medically as 'Foetal Alcohol Syndrome' (FAS). [11][12][13][14] Since the publication of this seminal paper, a vast amount of literature has accumulated to establish scientifically the deleterious effects on the foetus caused by alcohol consumption. By 1981, clinical characteristics of FAS had formally been documented to include the following symptoms:…”

Moderate-Severe Hearing Loss in Children: A Diagnostic and Rehabilitative Challenge

“…In particular, fetal alcohol syndrome is a consequence of the alcohol teratogenic effect during pregnancy, and it is characterized by a growth defect, typical facies, microcephaly, skeletal anomalies, mild-moderate mental retardation, behavioral anomalies, congenital heart condition, and hearing loss also [15] . Ototoxicity occurs due to cochlear hair cells and irreversible death; it may also become evident in case of low hematic drug concentration and short therapies for a particular genetic predisposition (a mitochondrial DNA mutation) [16] .…”