Effects Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Ever since classical times, incidences of babies, born from drunken women, have been recorded. The first to search for these statements in historical documents were Jones and Smith in 1973. They note that in Carthage there was a law against drinking on one’s wedding night, as well as a quotes credited to Aristotle who lived from 384 to 322 B.C., ‘foolish, drunken, or haire-brain women [for the] most part bring forth children like unto themselves, morose and feeble’.
In both Canada and Australia the number of babies born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders has been increasing drastically.
The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, also known as FASD, is an umbrella term used to describe a range of adverse effects caused by maternal intake of alcohol while the fetus is in utero. Under the Canadian diagnostic guidelines FASD includes the diagnostic terms ‘fetal alcohol syndrome’ (FAS), ‘partial fetal alcohol syndrome’ (pFAS), ‘alcohol-related Neurodevelopmental disorders’ (ARND), ‘fetal alcohol effects’ (FAE), and ‘alcohol-related birth defects’ (ARBD). These conditions manifest themselves in the form of developmental disorders, weight and height deficiencies and a specific set of facial characteristics to varying degrees. While many characteristics of FASD are well understood, the vast majority are still being researched. This leads to vast information gaps especially when concerned with Aboriginal populations globally notably in Canada and Australia.
Internationally it is estimated that the number of individuals born with FASD ranges from 1-3 per 1000 live births in the general population to as many as 9.1 per 1000 live births among high-risk populations, making FASD a substantial global concern.
Currently, medic...

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This suggests that all efforts should be made to address substance abuse by women at risk, rather than maintaining a limited focus on these women only when they are pregnant. A variety of reasons result in the lack of service Aboriginal women experience. From long waiting lists to these women fearing that they will loose custody of their children, if they admit to needing help with substance abuse during pregnancy, to the geographical location of communities, are all barriers that must be overcome.
As it can be seen the best way to combat FASD is from a social standpoint. Involving the community, empowering women, and providing proper care for both mother and child alike will lead to a situation in which the prevalence of FASD in both Aboriginal/Indigenous and all other populations alike will be decreased, and maybe even eventually irradiated altogether.