Alcohol and the Fetus Leslie McCrory, LPC, LCAS, CCS

FASD not a diagnostic term Umbrella term including: –Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) –Alcohol – related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) –neurological abnormalities ie: problems with memory and motor skills –Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) in the skeletal and major organ systems

Teratogens Substances that can damage a developing fetus Alcohol is a teratogen which is harmful to the developing fetus

Alcohol as a Teratogen When a mother drinks, so does the developing fetus Alcohol passes easily through the placenta from the mother’s blood stream into baby’s blood system Carbon monoxide from cigarettes passes easily through the placenta, as well. Equal to or greater than BAC of mother

FASD Physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities 40,000 born each year with FASD $6 billion dollars annually

How damage? Virtually every part of the body – brain, face, eyes, heart, kidneys, and bones Alcohol can trigger cell death in a number of ways causing different parts of the fetus to develop abnormally Alcohol can disrupt the way nerve cells develop, travel to form different parts of the brain, and function

How damage? By constricting the blood vessels, alcohol interferes with blood flow in the placenta, which hinders the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus Toxic by-products of alcohol metabolism may become concentrated in the brain and contribute to the development of an FASD

Drinking alcohol Drinking any time during the pregnancy can harm the fetus –Cognitively –Socially –Motor deficiencies –Other life long problems –Attention deficits –Poor impulse control, language, memory

Fetal Brain Develops throughout the pregnancy Exposure to alcohol can cause brain damage to the fetus MRI shows some exposed to alcohol may also have smaller brains or some parts may not have developed, are damaged or missing parts of brain

Drinking alcohol while pregnant Damaged or missing basal ganglia Cerebellum Corpus callosum And others

Fetal Development CNS – week 3 to full term Eyes – 4 ½ to full term Ears - 4 ½ to 20 Teeth – 6 ¾ to full term Palate – 6 ¾ to 16 Heart – 3 1/2 to 9 External genitalia – 7 to full term Upper limbs – 4 1/2 to 9

Resources SAMHSA – Or call 866-STOPFAS (786–7327)