Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

By Juan Pablo García Losada. Pediatra

Traducido por Isabel Cota

On 9th  September, the day of  Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was celebrated all over the world.

Excessive consumption of alcohol is always unhealthy, even sporadically. Damage is directly related to the amount and not to its  nature: fermented or distilled. Disease risk increases geometrically with dose. Risk does not depend on alcoholic graduation but on alcohol content.

It is important to note that alcohol is neither nutritious nor healthy, but if taken in small amounts the problems that it may entail can be prevented.

Alcohol is the third most important risk factor for the health of citizens in developed countries after tobacco and hypertension. It is directly associated with more than 60 diseases in addition to violent or risky behaviour: unprotected sex, unwanted pregnancies, prenatal damage, road accidents, mental disorders like depression or suicide...It may be used together with psychoactive drugs,etc... It causes 195,000 deaths a year in Europe and in Spain we have 3 million people with alcohol-derived problems.

The younger you start the greater the addiction and the injuries are irreversible.Risk increases when the consumption occurs in "binges" at weekends, for example in the so-called " big bottle".

A birth defect occurs while a baby grows inside its mother's body. Defects may affect appearance, functioning or both. They can range from mild to severe. Some result from exposure to drugs, chemicals or infections. Any woman who may be pregnant should know that everything that she eats or drinks can affect her baby. Alcohol is a teratogen, its mechanism of action is unknown. Any amount of alcohol may have adverse effects on pregnancy. Besides, there is no period of time during pregnancy in which drinking, even occasionally, may be considered harmless. The variability in the outcome depends on multiple factors. Every woman metabolizes alcohol differently, depending on age, time and frequency of consumption, and on consumption of food.

Women who drink during

the first trimester of pregnancy and do not know that they are pregnant would be drinking in the period of fetal brain formation.

Alcohol during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

- FAS is important becauseit causes 17% of prenatal mortality.

- The children of alcoholic mothers have ten times as much death risk.

- They have increased risk of mental retardation. In Spain 20% of children with mental retardation are the children of mothers drinkers.

- They show mental disorders and phenotype SAF.

 

FAS is a set of problems that may include:

-         Birth Defects: Heart problems.

-         Abnormal facial features.

-         Growth problems.

-          Mental nervous system problems.

-          Mental retardation

-         Impaired vision or hearing.

-          Behaviour problems.

Among others

FAS is completely preventable and persists for life, it has no cure. You can correct certain anatomical defects or provide help for others. If you are a sexually active woman not using contraception you should avoid taking alcohol.