Contents
What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)?
Le fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most serious impairment of prenatal alcohol exposure. It manifests itself in particular by facial abnormalities, growth retardation, malformation of the cranium and brain as well as nervous disorders, developmental delay, intellectual deficits and learning disorders…. The list is long and the consequences for the child irreversible. This syndrome is observed when the mother’s alcohol consumption has been very heavy. It is estimated that FAS concerns between 0,5 and 3 births in 1000, it is a real public health problem.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the leading cause of mental handicap, of non-genetic origin, in children in France. Note that this risk is common to all categories of alcoholic beverages. Wine, beer, cider, spirits… none escapes the rule.
Is there a minimum threshold for alcohol consumption?
Alcohol is toxic to the fetus at all stages of its development, especially in the early stages. As soon as you drink a glass, the alcohol passes through the placenta and ends up in the baby’s blood, with a concentration equal to that of the mother. We do not know the minimum threshold of alcohol consumption that can create abnormalities in children. But, what is certain is that there are specificities and sensitivities specific to each. Some women easily eliminate alcohol and thus spare their unborn child, while others, with sometimes smaller amounts, can endanger it.
Fetal alcohol syndrome: a scourge in numbers
Each year in France, nearly 7 babies (around 000%) are born with behavioral or developmental disorders, more or less visible, due to their alcoholism in their mother’s womb. And hundreds are affected by serious malformations: 1 births per 1,3. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most severe form of infant alcohol use during pregnancy. Most often, mothers of children affected by this pathology consumed more than five or six glasses of alcohol per day at the beginning of their pregnancy. In Pas-de-Calais, a department which has a large number of alcoholics, one in 300 babies is affected. Enough to justify prevention campaigns on the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy.
Physical malformations
Babies with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) have common physical signs. Prenatal and postnatal growth retardation are most often observed for weight, height, or both. We also find in these children characteristic malformations in the face: small, short, upturned nose, small eye slits, flat and elongated middle of the face, thin upper lip, absence of philtrum (dimple between the nose and the mouth), small chin. . However, these abnormalities are not always identifiable in children.
Neurological disorders
Unfortunately, physical damage is not the only sequelae due to prenatal alcohol exposure. In France, fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading cause of non-genetic mental retardation. Studies have shown, in adulthood, the onset of mental retardation with an alteration in IQ between 12 and 20 points, a high frequency of violent behavior and a high rate of depression and suicide. To a lesser extent, FAS is expressed by learning difficulties (with disturbances in attention, memory), difficulties with calculation, language, sensory impairment (especially visual impairment), behavioral disturbances and social integration difficulties.
What about light alcoholism?
The effect of light alcoholism (1 to 2 glasses per day) on the baby is still not clear. Some studies have mentioned behavioral or cognitive disorders in children, but these have recently been contradicted. If in doubt, it is better to refrain from drinking during pregnancy.
Conclusion
The effects of alcohol are harmful to the fetus, especially if you add cigarettes or drugs… During pregnancy, think about your baby first! Whether for a family celebration, a working lunch or a dinner with friends, opt instead for a delicious fruit juice cocktail, just to combine business with pleasure.
Source: Haute Autorité de Santé & SAF France