Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Tips for Parents

 International Awareness Day for Fetal Alcohol Disorder is marked every year on September 9th. Experts at Schneider Children’s Medical Center emphasize that drinking alcohol during pregnancy endangers the fetus.

Dr. Yehuda Sanetsky, who heads the clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, says that pregnant women or those planning pregnancy, should refrain totally from drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous substances to the developing fetus in the womb and drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to irreversible damage of the nervous system and various body organs. The amount of alcohol that passes through the placenta to the fetus is exactly the same amount accumulated in the mother’s veins. The main danger is “drinking revelry” when a large amount of alcohol is consumed in a short time. Since a safe level of alcohol consumption is not known, the sweeping recommendation of all leading global health organizations as well as Schneider Children’s is to avoid all alcohol altogether when planning a pregnancy or during pregnancy.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can as mentioned lead to various fetal developmental disorders. In the Western World, exposure to alcohol during pregnancy is felt to be the most common cause for neuro-developmental disorders, which can be altogether avoided. Research undertaken in 2010 by Schneider specialists found that over 15% of pregnant women in Israel drink alcohol in varying quantities.

  Dr. Sanetsky