Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause a spectrum of disorders. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, FASD, is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects may include physical, mental, behavioral, and/or learning disabilities with possible lifelong implications. The term FASD is not intended for use as a clinical diagnosis. It refers to conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). Each year, as many as 40,000 babies are born with FASD, costing the Nation about $4 billion.

One of the most severe effects of drinking during pregnancy is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is one of the leading known preventable causes of mental retardation and birth defects. If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, her baby can be born with FAS, a lifelong, physically and mentally disabling condition. FAS is characterized by (1) abnormal facial features, (2) growth deficiencies, and (3) central nervous system (CNS) problems. People with FAS may have problems with learning, memory, attention span, communication, vision, and/or hearing. These problems often lead to difficulties in school and problems getting along with others. FAS is a permanent condition. It affects every aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of his or her family. However, FAS is 100% preventable—if a woman does not drink alcohol while she is pregnant.

Many terms have been used to describe children who have some, but not all, of the clinical signs of FAS. Three terms are fetal alcohol effects (FAE), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND), and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD). FAE has been used to describe children who have all of the diagnostic features of FAS, but at mild or less severe levels. In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) replaced FAE with the terms ARND and ARBD. Those with ARND may have functional or mental problems linked to prenatal alcohol exposure. These include behavioral and/or cognitive abnormalities. Examples are learning difficulties, poor school performance, and poor impulse control. They may have difficulties with mathematical skills, memory, attention, and/or judgment. Those with ARBD may have problems with the heart, kidneys, bones, and/or hearing.

The reported rates of FAS vary widely. These different rates depend on the population studied and the surveillance methods used. CDC studies show FAS rates ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 per 1,000 live births in different areas of the United States. Other prenatal alcohol-related conditions, such as alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) are believed to occur approximately three times as often as FAS.