Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is caused by the mother consuming alcohol while pregnant.
The alcohol is able to reach the fetus by entering the bloodstream and crossing the placenta. Since the fetus metabolizes alcohol at a slower rate than adults, it will experience a higher blood alcohol concentration than the mother.
This results in impaired delivery of oxygen and optimal nutrition to the fetus, as well as poor development of tissues and organs.
Factors that determine resulting birth defects and severity of the disability in the fetus include:
- How much alcohol was consumed
- How often alcohol was consumed
- When during the pregnancy alcohol was consumed
- The mother’s state of health during the pregnancy
In Canada, many pregnancies are unplanned, which means women are unaware of their pregnancy for the early stages. It is during that time when their alcohol consumption causes damages to the development of the fetus’ brain and heart without them even knowing.
Drinking alcohol during the first trimester is especially dangerous to the fetus. The development of the heart, facial features, bones and central nervous system are notably susceptible during this time.
However, the consumption of alcohol at any time during the pregnancy can cause risk of damage.
Although alcohol consumption in the first trimester is when the more severe issues happen, it is not safe in the second or third trimesters either. During those times, the brain continues to develop and even moderate consumption of alcohol can interrupt these processes.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/alcohol-and-pregnancy-1138086244-ffa206cb17f247fb9d566db35b0a4916.jpg)
Risk Factors
The greater the amount of alcohol consumed by the mother, the greater the risk to the fetus. However, any amount of alcohol can cause harm to the fetus. A woman should not consume alcohol if:
- She is pregnant
- There’s a possibility she may be pregnant
- She’s trying to become pregnant
These damaging effects come with any type of alcohol. Wine, beer, and liquor are all types of alcohol included in the leading preventable cause of birth defects.