Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood PMC
Early identification of FASD is critical for the well-being of individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and their families. Early identification can maximize help in the treatment of FASD and in building supportive networks with other individuals and families impacted by FASD. This may be due, in part, to a lack of information about prenatal alcohol exposure or difficulty in distinguishing FASD from other developmental disorders that might have similar cognitive or behavioral symptoms. The severity of fetal alcohol syndrome symptoms varies, with some children experiencing them to a far greater degree than others.
- “Alcohol can interfere with the way that nerve cells develop and how nerve cells connect to each other in different parts of the brain, which therefore can affect their functioning,” she says.
- People with FASDs also experience behavioral issues, concentration problems, and executive dysfunction.
- If a person has around 5 or more drinks on an occasion, that is considered binge drinking.
- Though FAS/FASD cannot be cured, children with FAS/FASD can benefit from an early diagnosis.
- There is no amount of alcohol that’s known to be safe to consume during pregnancy.
The major ultrasound parameters considered for identification of FGR were head circumference to abdominal circumference ratio (HC/AC), femur length to abdominal circumference ratio (FL/AC), amniotic fluid volume, and placental grading. In addition, (2) birth weight, sex of the neonates and gestational age at birth were used to determine small for gestational age [5] among all births; since FGR and SGA are highly related [5]. Small for gestational age at birth was the link between alcohol and suicide declared when birth weight is below 10th percentile of the sex specific birth weight for gestational age reference curve [5]. Gestational age was calculated in terms of weeks using maternal recall of last menstrual period (LMP). Moreover, symphysis-fundal height (SFH) measurement in centimeters was conducted to approve LMP-based estimation of gestational age. All the measurement procedures were completed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations.
If you have adopted a child or are providing foster care, you may not know if the biological mother drank alcohol while pregnant — and it may not initially occur to you that your child may have fetal alcohol syndrome. However, if your child has problems with learning and behavior, talk with his or her doctor so that the underlying cause might be identified. A prospective cohort study of pregnant women who chewed khat and not chewed khat was conducted from August to December 2022 in selected health institutions of Dire Dawa administration, Harari region and Jigjiga city administration, eastern Ethiopia. Participants at high risk of adverse birth outcomes like having known major chronic illness such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases; and having previous history of congenital anomalies were excluded. Moreover, those pregnant mothers with multiple pregnancy were also excluded. Dr. Ferry explains that these disorders develop in part because of the profound effects that alcohol can have on developing fetuses.
However, most studies have not researched FAS symptoms in people over the age of 30. Prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading preventable cause of congenital (present at birth) conditions in the United States. When consumed during pregnancy, alcohol crosses the placenta and enters the fetus’s bloodstream. Having a single serving of alcohol one time is much less concerning than heavy or binge drinking, and considered less likely to cause alcohol-related problems. The best thing you can do for your baby is to avoid further use of alcohol during your pregnancy.
Symptoms in adults
The effects of alcohol on the developing brain during pregnancy are not reversible. However, early intervention can improve the chances of success for the child. Examples of early interventions for FASDs include occupational therapy, special educational services starting as early as preschool, mental health evaluation and support and speech therapy services. In the present follow-up study, the incidence of fetal growth restriction among the study cohorts was 29.7%.
Diagnosis of FAS
And even when neural stem cells are still able to reproduce, alcohol interferes with their migration to the proper part of the brain, further disrupting brain development. FASD is caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, which is the leading preventable cause of congenital conditions in the United States. There are currently five types of FASD, including FAS, diagnosed by prenatal alcohol exposure, craniofacial dysmorphology, growth impairment, and neurodevelopmental problems. FAS is characterized by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), craniofacial (head and face) differences, neurodevelopmental abnormalities (including behavioral issues), and growth impairment. Unfortunately, up to 5% of first graders in the United States have FASD. It’s also recommended that you not drink alcohol if you’re sexually active and not using effective birth control.
What causes fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)?
Some health problems may develop many years after exposure to alcohol in the womb. Research into the long-term effects of FASD must be complemented by adequate support for adult FAS patients. No one particular treatment is correct for everyone with fetal alcohol syndrome. FAS exists on a spectrum of disorders and the way each person is impacted by the condition can vary greatly. For some, it’s best to monitor their child’s progress throughout life, so it’s important to have a healthcare provider you trust. Talk with your healthcare provider about any exposures you have during pregnancy, including alcohol use.
Diagnosis and Tests
If one child in a family is diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, it may be important to evaluate his or her siblings to determine whether they also have fetal alcohol syndrome, if the mother how does abstinence violation effect impact recovery drank alcohol during these pregnancies. The symptoms of FASDs may look like other health conditions or problems. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Development of seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis have been previously shown to correspond to puberty onset in males. The study found that the development of the seminiferous tubules and onset of spermatogenesis were delayed in PAE male offspring [102]. These studies and various others have shown that PAE does lead to delayed onset of puberty in animal models [103,104,105]. A critical period in human development that can affect a person’s lifelong health status and quality of life is puberty. Many profound maturational changes, including physical, gonadal, and neurodevelopmental changes occur during this time of a person’s life [99]. The effects of PAE on an individual can resurface and manifest during the pubertal period.
Varied results in human studies could be potentially explained by looking at confounding environmental factors, such as nutrition, socioeconomic standing, and level of stress during pregnancy and during childhood. This lack of nutrients during the prenatal period also has the potential to affect pubertal onset and a person’s health throughout their life. The effects of PAE are multifactorial and more research is needed to elucidate the effects of PAE so interventions can be made to attenuate debilitating consequences. Even if PAE does not directly affect the onset of puberty, the effect of PAE on the HPG axis is still vital to understand since the reproductive system is intimately connected with the HPG axis. Various studies have shown that PAE leads to changes in both female and male reproductive health. Prenatal alcohol exposure and central nervous system (CNS) involvement are factors common to the disorders encompassing FASD.
There is no consensus on a specific pattern of functional impairments due to prenatal alcohol exposure[20] and only CDC guidelines label developmental delays as such,[31] so criteria (and FASD diagnoses) vary somewhat across diagnostic systems. The present study established an association between khat chewing during alcoholism anger management: mental health and addiction pregnancy and fetal growth restriction, but the association may not be causal. Therefore, in the interpretations of the present finding this limitation must be considered. One is being a prospective cohort, as it establishes temporal relationships between khat chewing during pregnancy and fetal growth restriction.
If you are having unprotected sex and not using birth control, you must abstain from alcohol. The U.S. surgeon general also recommends abstaining from alcohol if you’re trying to conceive. If you’re currently pregnant, it’s never too late to stop drinking—reach out to a healthcare provider if you need help quitting alcohol. These include medicines to help with some symptoms, medical care for health problems, behavior and education therapy, and parent training. It should include close monitoring, follow-ups, and changes when needed. People with fetal alcohol syndrome have facial abnormalities, including wide-set and narrow eyes, growth problems and nervous system abnormalities.
In neurogenesis, EVs coordinate behavior between various cell types of the developing brain [88]. During the neonatal period of mice, in vivo neural stem cell (NSC)-derived EVs cause a decrease in microglial complexity and an increase in cytokine production due to preferential signaling of microglia [89]. The teratogenic effects of ethanol on the cortex result in alterations of EV signaling pathways [90]. An in vitro mouse study found that the decrease in miR-21 following ethanol exposure could be the result of an adaptive response to restore neurite outgrowth and decrease inflammation [53,90].
Early identification of FASD is critical for the well-being of individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and their families. Early identification can maximize help in the treatment of FASD and in building supportive networks with other individuals and families impacted by FASD. This may be due, in part, to a lack of information about prenatal…