What Research Is Being Done on Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the Russian Research Community?

Abstract

Aims: Although Russia has one of the highest rates of alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden of disease, little is known about the existing research on prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) in this country. The objective of this study was to locate and review published and unpublished studies related to any aspect of PAE and FASD conducted in or using study populations from Russia. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in multiple English and Russian electronic bibliographic databases. In addition, a manual search was conducted in several major libraries in Moscow. Results: The search revealed a small pool of existing research studies related to PAE and/or FASD in Russia (126: 22 in English and 104 in Russian). Existing epidemiological data indicate a high prevalence of PAE and FASD, which underlines the strong negative impact that alcohol has on mortality, morbidity and disability in Russia. High levels of alcohol consumption by women of childbearing age, low levels of contraception use, and low levels of knowledge by health and other professionals regarding the harmful effects of PAE put this country at great risk of further alcohol-affected pregnancies. Conclusions: Alcohol preventive measures in Russia warrant immediate attention. More research focused on alcohol prevention and policy is needed in order to reduce alcohol-related harm, especially in the field of FASD.

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“…The most severe form of fetal alcohol effects is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) presenting with distinct aberrations of the central nervous system, characteristic congenital anomalies, and growth retardation (Stratton et al., ). The incidence of this disorder has been estimated to vary globally from less than 5 to over 10 per 1,000 live births, depending on the geographical area in question and the criteria used to define the phenotype (May et al., ; Popova et al., ; Roozen et al., ; Warren et al., ).…”

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“…Another investigation of 326 infants in the same area did not find cases of FAS. In maternity hospitals in Saint Petersburg, the prevalence was 0.79 to 3.62/1,000 live births, while in specialized neonatal clinics, it was much higher (3 to 35/1,000; Popova et al, ). These discrepancies appear to highlight 2 important challenges for the diagnosis of FASD.…”

Modern Approaches and Methods of Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

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