| How much alcohol does it take to cause damage? As yet, there is no definitive answer to this question. Some children may develop FAS while others who experienced the same amount of prenatal alcohol exposure may exhibit minor symptoms. In fact, one study included a set of twins where one twin had profound FAS while the other had only minor symptoms that would not likely have been noticed had the other twin not been so severely affected. |
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Any number of factors comes into play in terms of risk for FAS/ARND. These include the mother’s weight, the baby’s weight, cell development at the time of exposure, age of mother, overall health of the mother, the mother’s use of cigarettes and/or other toxic substances, lack of oxygen due to maternal liver dysfunction, genetic susceptibility, and other factors yet to be determined by researchers.
Identification of alcohol addiction in the mother is not a definitive risk factor. Women who have been identified as moderate drinkers – no more than one drink per day – have also given birth to infants with FAS/ARND. In fact, studies have shown that some women can drink heavily – more than seven drinks per week or five or more drinks in one day – during pregnancy and produce a child who is without significant disabilities and others may drink minimally and produce a child who fits the criteria for an ARND diagnosis. Because of these unknown variables, the United States Surgeon General and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other Federal agencies state that,
THERE IS NO KNOWN SAFE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL AND NO KNOWN SAFE TIME TO DRINK ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY.When is the developing fetus at risk?
The developing fetus is at-risk for damage from alcohol throughout the pregnancy from day one through birth. Alcohol moves freely through the placenta so that, as the mother drinks, so does the fetus. It is a myth that the first three months, or first trimester, is the only time birth defects can occur if a mother drinks. The central nervous system (CNS) – the brain and spinal cord – develop throughout the pregnancy so damage can occur at any time during the pregnancy. Each trimester marks significant development of other vital organs and limbs as well.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 130,000 pregnant women per year in the United States consume alcohol at levels shown to increase the risk of having a baby with FAS or other alcohol-related conditions.
Alarmingly, the CDC reports that one in 30 women who know they are pregnant admits to what is termed “risk drinking” which is defined as 7 or more drinks per week, or 5 or more drinks on any one occasion (binge drinking). In fact, the CDC found binge drinking to be the most dangerous pattern of drinking. In other words, having 5 or more drinks on one occasion is more harmful than having one drink per day for five days in a row.
NOTE: Because the brain continues to develop through infancy, babies remain at-risk for damage to the brain even after birth if the mother breast-feeds and drinks alcohol.
BECAUSE THE FETUS IS DEVELOPING THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO STOP DRINKING. IF YOU ARE DRINKING STOP NOW AND AVOID FURTHER HARM!