Fetal alcohol syndrome is dangerous outcome of excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Maternal alcohol illness and heavy alcohol abuse during prenatal period can lead to dangerous physical and mental damage to children. Alcohol exposure in prenatal period leads to long-lasting effects on women. One of the shoddier outcomes is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), in which patient is suffered from prenatal or postnatal growth deficiency, craniofacial anomalies, and evidence of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. FAS affected person have physical anomalies and cognitive and behavioral impairments with outcomes ranging in severity from prenatal death to subtle behavioral problems.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is explicated as a constellation of physical deformities, most obvious in the features of the face and in the reduced size of the newborn, and problems of behavior and thought, in children born to mothers who consume alcohol excessively during their pregnancy.

It is important to comprehend that prenatal alcohol exposure is of considerable public health alarm because FAS can cause mental retardation, neurodevelopment abnormalities and affects all races and ethnicities. Several conditions may alter risk for FAS among women who consume sufficient quantity of alcohol during pregnancy.

BBC reports revealed that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Canada is more widespread and results in birth defects and developmental impairment in children which can be avoided. Root cause of FAS is heavy alcohol consumption. Alcohol causes high levels of mortality, morbidity, and social problems. Alcohol has potential to injure the fetus all through pregnancy, not just in the first trimester. When alcohol is consumed by a pregnant woman, it quickly crosses the barrier of the placenta, producing equal concentrations in fetal circulation. During prenatal alcohol exposure, the brain and central nervous system of the unborn child is highly sensitive.

Major symptoms of FAS include intrauterine growth retardation, microcephaly, mental retardation, muscular hypotonia, hyperactivity, unique facial characteristics such as a thin upper lip; a uniquely smooth ridge between the upper lip and nose.

Long-term effects of fetal alcohol syndrome are problems with "regulation" (sleeping, attention and arousal), learning disorders, impairment with vision and hearing, mental retardation, and deficits in memory and reasoning.

To control the FAS among individuals, the first step to protect against the effects of alcohol in pregnancy is prevention. Universally, women are educated about the risks of alcohol on the developing fetus and about the significance of avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There is also a need to explore on the root causes of several comprehensive public health problems to make prevention program successful. Substance abuse, lack of comprehensive health education, unplanned pregnancy and inadequate pre and postnatal care must be corrected and organized.

Unfortunately, there is no therapy for fetal alcohol syndrome till date. The physical defects and mental deficiencies caused due to FAS continue for lifetime.

Many studies have demonstrated that people diagnosed with FAS can have IQs from normal range to severely mentally retarded range. It is shown that many people with FAS live fairly normal life if adequate support and is extended throughout life where as others are severely impaired.

In wrapping up the key strands of this severe global health issue, it is highlighted that fetal alcohol syndrome is detrimental and affected pregnant women giving birth to baby with irreversible mental deformities. It is a lifetime wound for parents as well as child.