Fetal Alcohol Syndrome -- The Biological Basis / FAS FASD Video

Recently in my Human Growth and Development class we had a discussion about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome also known as (FAS) which I found very interesting. Well Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to growth, mental, and physical problems that may occur in a baby when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. It's a serious health problem that disastrously affects its victims and their families, but that is completely preventable. Babies born with FAS tend to weigh less and be shorter than normal. The babies suffer from smaller heads, deformed facial features, abnormal joints and limbs, poor coordination, problems with learning, and short term memory.
Yet many pregnant women do drink alcohol. It's estimated that each year in the United States, 1 in every 750 infants is born with a pattern of physical, developmental, and functional problems referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), while another 40,000 are born with fetal alcohol effects (FAE).

Problems associated with FAS tend to intensify as children move into adulthood. These can include mental health problems, troubles with the law, and the inability to live independently.

Often, in kids with FAE or ARND, the behavior can appear as mere belligerence or stubbornness. They may score well on intelligence tests, but their behavioral deficits often interfere with their ability to succeed.

Nevertheless its very clear that abusing alcohol while your pregnant is very dangerous. But the question is how much alcohol is to much during your pregnancy??
There is still no evidence that determines how much alcohol will produce birth defects. Individual women process alcohol differently.
Mothers who drink during the first trimester of pregnancy have kids with the most severe problems because that is when the brain is developing. The connections in the baby's brain don't get made properly when alcohol is present. Of course, in the early months, many women don't even know they're pregnant.
But I would like to end this note on PREVENTION IS THE KEY!!1