THE EFFECTS OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE

Exposure to alcohol during gestation can cause persistent abnormalitie s in physical and cognitive development. Children who meet the clinica l definition of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are small for their age, exhibit characteristic facial anomalies, and demonstrate deficits in c entral nervous system development. Alcohol effects in children with pr enatal exposure, but not FAS, are similar, although of smaller magnitu de and not necessarily present in all three systems. The degree to whi ch a person is affected by prenatal alcohol exposure depends on the am ount, timing, and duration of the mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy as well as maternal characteristics (e.g., age and comorbid psychiatric disorders) and environmental factors (e.g., socioeconomic status and family problems). Some exposure-related effects, such as gr owth deficits, are directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed, however, so that even a small amount of alcohol may affect child deve lopment. Therefore, the best policy continues to be abstinence during pregnancy.