Alcohol and Pregnancy/Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Why is alcohol use during pregnancy a concern?
- At least half of Canadian women drink socially, and half of all pregnancies are unplanned.
- Prenatal exposure to alcohol is a leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental delay in Canadian children.
- In Canada, it is estimated that as many as 1 in every 100 babies is born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
- The costs to families, health care, education and social services related to alcohol use in pregnancy are enormous, estimated at over 1 million dollars per individual with FASD.
What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe the full range of birth defects and disabilities that are caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. It includes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and other Alcohol-Related Effects (e.g., partial FAS, Fetal Alcohol Effects, Alcohol-Related Birth Defects, and Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder). Babies born with FASD do not outgrow these disabilities. They last a lifetime.
FASD is preventable - a woman drinking alcohol during her pregnancy is the only cause.
Since the impact of FASD cannot be reversed, it is extremely important to focus efforts on prevention. All women of childbearing age would benefit from prevention initiatives.
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
You may have heard a lot lately about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – a set of birth defects caused by a mother drinking alcohol while pregnant. To be diagnosed with FAS, there must be a history of the mother drinking alcohol while pregnant, and the child must show effects in each of the following 3 categories:
- Slowed growth (weight, height): babies may grow at a slower than normal rate during pregnancy and after birth.
- Characteristic facial appearance: children with FAS have distinct facial features such as shortened eye slits, flattened mid-face, a flattened midline ridge between the nose and lip, and a thin upper lip. A child with FAS may have some or all of these features.
- Damage to the brain/central nervous system: small brain and head size, brain malformations; learning and behavioural problems, including developmental delay; impaired motor skills, poor coordination, hearing and visual problems.
Who is at risk?
All women of childbearing age who use alcohol are at risk of having a child with FASD unless and until they are:
- made aware of FASD and how it occurs;
- informed about the life-long, negative impact on the child born with FASD and the family and community; and,
- provided with the supports they need to reduce their risk and plan their pregnancies.
If I'm pregnant, how much alcohol can I drink?
No one knows for sure how much alcohol is safe for a pregnant woman to drink. As researchers have not been able to determine a "safe" level of drinking during pregnancy, there is only one safe choice if you are pregnant or wish to become pregnant -
DON'T DRINK ANY ALCOHOL.
Is drinking alcohol at certain times during my pregnancy safer than at other times?
Right now, research doesn’t indicate a ‘safe’ time or period of pregnancy for drinking alcohol. The damaging effects of alcohol on a developing baby can occur during any time in pregnancy.
Early in pregnancy, alcohol-related damage to the unborn baby can result in miscarriage. Abnormal facial features, body parts, organs and bones occur, in general, as a result of drinking during the first three months of pregnancy. Slowed growth of the unborn baby and damage to the brain/central nervous system could occur from alcohol use during any time in pregnancy.
How is an unborn baby affected by alcohol?
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn baby. The alcohol consumed by a pregnant woman rapidly crosses through the placenta to the unborn baby. When the mother has alcohol in her bloodstream, there will be alcohol in the baby’s bloodstream, too. As the baby’s liver is still developing, it does not work as quickly as the mother’s liver in breaking down the alcohol. Therefore, alcohol stays in the unborn baby’s body longer.
How the unborn baby is affected by the mother's drinking depends on many things such as:
- how much the mother drinks during pregnancy;
- how often the mother drinks during pregnancy;
- when in the pregnancy the mother drinks;
- how well the mother's body breaks down the alcohol;
- the ability of the unborn baby to handle alcohol;
- the use of drugs other than alcohol;
- other factors such as the mother's nutrition and smoking habits.
All drinks with alcohol in them are toxic to a growing baby - beer, wine, liquor and coolers all have the same potential for harm.
I'm pregnant and I think I have a drinking problem. What can I do?
Remember that it is never too late to stop drinking. Even in the last three months of your pregnancy, cutting back on how much you drink, or stopping altogether, will help. If you need help, talk to your health care professional and/or call the Niagara Region Public Health Department, Parent Talk Information Line (see below) to speak with a Public Health Nurse.
Where can I get more information or support?
