Fetal alcohol syndrome - Does alcohol withdrawal play a role?

Alcohol use by a pregnant woman may interfere with the development of her f etus. Newborns whose mothers are intoxicated during delivery can experience withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors and even seizures. If is likely that withdrawal also can occur during fetal development. Thus, the possibility e xists that withdrawal by the pregnant woman may exacerbate alcohol's advers e effects on her fetus. One potential mechanism through which alcohol withd rawal might damage the fetus involves the receptor for the neurotransmitter glutamate (i.e, the N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] receptor). This receptor p lays a crucial role during neuronal development. Excessive activation of th e NMDA receptor, which occurs during withdrawal, may lead to neuronal cell death. Animal studies suggest that these effects may contribute to behavior al deficits following prenatal exposure to alcohol.