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Alcohol and the Fetus

Alcohol and the Fetus. Leslie McCrory, LPC, LCAS, CCS leslie.mccrory@msj.org 828-213-0035. FASD not a diagnostic term. Umbrella term including: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

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Alcohol and the Fetus

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  1. Alcohol and the Fetus Leslie McCrory, LPC, LCAS, CCS leslie.mccrory@msj.org 828-213-0035

  2. FASDnot 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

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

  4. 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

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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

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

  11. 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

  12. Resources • SAMHSA – www.fasdcenter.samhsa.gov Or call 866-STOPFAS (786–7327)

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