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.