1. DID YOU KNOW……
The destructive and irresponsible use of alcohol and other drugs costs North Carolina more than $5.5 billion annually.
Approximately 15% of the national health care budget is spent on treating conditions related to substance abuse, including alcohol!

2. FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
A tragic set of permanent physical, mental, and behavioral birth defects that result when mothers drink alcohol during pregnancy
½ of infants from alcoholic mothers can develop FAS
Alcohol consumption causes birth defects in about 3 out of 1000
The most severe damage is done during the first trimester when heavy alcohol is being consumed
Often the mother does not know she is pregnant before the damage is done

3. When a mother drinks, her unborn child is exposed to alcohol.
When a mother consumes alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream at the same rate for the infant as it is absorbed for the mother.
Ethanol – main ingredient has the toxic effect on the fetus.

4. Central Nervous System disorders
Fetal alcohol Syndrome requires at least one feature from each of the three categories
Growth Retardation
Abnormally small for age weight, length, and/or head circumference
Central Nervous System disorders
Abnormal brain functioning, delays in behavioral development, and/or intellectual impairment
At least one of the facial features

5. The facial features of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are:
Small eyelid openings
Short, upturned nose
Long upper lip (from nose to mouth) with a thin red border and a deficient central groove
Reduced size of the head

6. The facial features of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are:
Drooping eyelids
Sunken nasal bridge
Small jaw
Failure of eyes to move in same direction

7. NORMAL
FAS

8. Children with alcohol-related birth defects typically have:
attention deficits
language difficulties
learning disabilities
impulsive behavior
poor judgment
poor coordination
irritability in infancy
small brain

9. Short palpebral fissures
The facial features of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
can be seen in both a child and a mouse fetus
that were exposed to alcohol during development.
child with FAS
mouse fetuses
Narrow forehead
Short palpebral fissures
Small nose
Small midface
Long upper lip with
deficient philtrum
alcohol-exposed
normal

10. THE FACE OF A CHILD
WITH FULL-BLOWN FAS
HAS FEATURES THAT
CAN BE CAUSED BY
DAMAGE TO MIDLINE
STUCTURES.

11. MATERNAL ALCOHOL ABUSE IS THE LEADING KNOWN CAUSE OF MENTAL RETARDATION IN THE WESTERN WORLD

12. In the US, at least 5,000 infants with FAS are born each year

13. Alcohol can cause permanent damage to a baby before most women realize they are pregnant.

14. Premature Delivery Low Birth Weight Still Birth Sudden Infant Death
Pregnancy Complications
Definitions
Premature Delivery
A baby born before 37 complete weeks
of pregnancy. Most pregnancies are
about 40 weeks.
Low Birth Weight
Classified as a baby that weighs less
than 5 pounds and 8 ounces. This can
usually be attributed to the health of
the mother during pregnancy.
Still Birth
When the fetus dies in the womb or
during labor.
Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome
A condition when an infant suddenly
dies without any cause that can be
found through an investigation or
autopsy. Usually the infant is sleeping
and when the parents go to check on
the infant they find him/her dead.

15. Excessive alcohol exposure can cause damage during all stages of prenatal development.
Pre-implantation: first 2 weeks
Embryonic: 3-8 weeks after conception
Fetal: from week 9 until birth

16. How much is too much ???

17. How much alcohol is in a drink?
12 oz beer = 5 oz wine = shot of liquor in a mixed drink
Each contains the same amount of alcohol and all can cause damage to a developing baby!

18. WARNING!
Some drinks contain more than a “serving” of alcohol

19. Health advisories urge women who are planning pregnancy or who are pregnant not to drink alcohol!

20. 1 in 5 pregnant women drink alcohol at some time during her pregnancy.
Despite warnings, frequent drinking among pregnant women appears to be increasing
1 in 5 pregnant women drink alcohol at some time during her pregnancy.
Frequent drinking is defined as 7
or more drinks per week or 5 or more
drinks on at least one occasion.

21. There is no known “safe” amount of alcohol that a pregnant woman can drink and not risk damaging her baby; therefore, pregnant women should not drink!

22. The amount and timing of maternal alcohol use determines the type and extent of resulting birth defects.

23. Alcohol-Related Birth Defects are EXPENSIVE
The institutional and medical costs for one individual with FAS are estimated to be $1.4 million over a lifetime.
In the US, it is estimated that each year up to $9.7 billion is spent to help those with FAS

24. Alcohol-related birth defects last a lifetime.

25. ALCOHOL-RELATED BIRTH DEFECTS ARE 100% PREVENTABLE