Fetal alcohol syndrome

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

The face

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Alternative Names:

Alcohol in pregnancy; At risk for fetal alcohol syndrome; Drinking alcohol during pregnancy
Treatment:

Pregnant women, or women trying to conceive,are encouraged to avoid drinking alcohol in any quantity. Pregnant alcoholic women should be involved inalcohol abuse rehabilitation programs, and monitored closely throughout pregnancy.

Support Groups:

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Support groups can benefit the pregnant woman by providing interaction with members who share common experiences and problems. For this condition, see alcoholism - support group.

For free information on how to stop drinking contact:

The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency at 1-800-NCA-CALL (622-2255)

Expectations (prognosis):

Outcome for infants with fetal alcohol syndrome is variable depending on the extent of symptoms, but almost none are normal when it comes to brain development.

The problems of the infant and child with fetal alcohol syndrome are diverse and difficult to manage. Cardiac defects may necessitate surgery. There is no effective therapy for mental retardation.

Complications:

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may result in:

Miscarriage or stillbirth
Premature delivery
A mentally retarded baby
A baby who is small for gestational age
A baby who may die in infancy
A baby with a small head, defects, or malformations of the eyes, nose, or mouth
A baby with malformation of the heart or other vital organs
A baby with slow growth and poor coordination
A restless, overactive baby that may later exhibit hyperactive behavior and learning disabilities

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you are drinking alcohol regularly or heavily, and are finding it difficult to cut back or stop. Also, call if you are drinking alcohol in any quantity while pregnant or trying to become pregnant.