Essay about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - 1366 Words

Many women that become pregnant are unaware of the consequences of drinking alcohol during pregnancy and the damaging effects it has on the fetus. When a woman who is pregnant drinks alcohol, the baby is also drinking alcohol. Furthermore, the amount of alcohol that is consumed by the mother is the same amount the baby receives through the mothers placenta. Many doctors advise that it is okay for the mother to have an occasional drink, however, some women cannot stop at one drink, and they continue to drink in excess throughout their pregnancy. Still, even moderate consumption of alcohol is not wise, because it is still unknown how much alcohol the fetus is able to tolerate without potential harm. Consequently, a fetus that has been†¦show more content†¦During the last trimester of pregnancy, the fetus lungs and liver are maturing, and the unborn babys liver is unable to handle any level of alcohol. At these stages it is critical for the mother to refrain from drinking alcohol, in order to ensure the health of the baby. Some effects to the fetus of drinking alcohol during pregnancy are: prenatal growth retardation, specifically, facial deformities, and a tendency to be smaller in weight, length, and head circumference. In addition, alcohol causes neurodevelopment defects and central nervous system dysfunction to the unborn baby. FAS infants are also at an increased risk for many common birth defects, including congenial heart disease, abnormalities of the urinary tract and genitals, and spina bifida. Although these abnormalities are not specific to FAS, they do assist in the diagnosis of the problem. Many recent studies are claiming that alcohol damages some parts of the brain more than others, targeting particular biochemical pathways vital to the development, function, migration, and survival of certain nerve cells. Further research is being done to help find ways that will block some of alcohols harmful effects on the fetus. One study has identified specific effects on molecules that regulate development and others that participate in cell signaling (Christensen 3). The cell-adhesionShow MoreRelatedFetal Alcohol Syndrome942 Words   |  4 Pages Fetal Alcohol Syndrome According to Seaver, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is birth defects causing learning, and behavioral problems in individuals whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. This disorder is very serious, yet it is recognized as one of the most preventable. This causes major issues, when something so serious could be prevented but is not. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a problem because it leaves a permanent effect on the unborn child, but some solutions could be educating women andRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome1466 Words   |  6 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome â€Å"If women didn’t drink anymore during pregnancy, there would never be another baby born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Effect† (McCuen 33). This is a very powerful statement. It is also a very simple cure for an alarmingly high birth defect that all women have the power to stop. â€Å"Every year more than 40,000 American children are born with defects because their mother drank alcohol while pregnant â€Å" (McCuen 34). That is 1 to 3 per 1,000 live birthsRead MoreThe Disorder Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome1018 Words   |  5 Pagesthe the disorder Fetal Alcohol Syndrome .This paper will aim to discuss what the disorder is ,it s history how it is diagnosed and the treatment and prevention of this disorder. Taking a sip a int hip Introduction :Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing(Bible-Judges 13:7).It has been known throughout history that the effects of alcohol use in pregnancyRead MoreEssay on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome1390 Words   |  6 Pageslead to many severe abnormalities in the growing fetus. More specifically, a disorder that will be explored in this essay is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS); caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Since the alcohol is consumed in such a developing stage of the fetus, it can potentially cause many different complications in the unborn child. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome could easily be prevented with more awareness to the issue and its defining characteristics, how it affects the fetus during growthRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagesof prenatal alcohol exposure (Lupton, 2003). This number will only continue to grow if the risk of drinking alcohol while pregnant i s not brought to the people’s attention. When the mother takes a drink of alcohol, so does the fetus, which will cause physical and behavioral problems after birth. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is completely preventable and irreversible. FAS awareness and prevention is important; expectant mothers need to know the background information about the syndrome, some commonRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition affecting children born to women who drink heavily during pregnancy. There are three criteria used to describe the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and to make a diagnosis of FAS. The first of these is a pattern of facial anomalies, these features include: #61558; Small eye openings #61558; Flat cheekbones #61558; Flattened groove between nose and upper lip #61558; Thin upper lip These characteristicsRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1096 Words   |  5 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a mental and physical birth defect. It occurs when a pregnant women consumes high levels of alcohol during her pregnancy. The effects of FAS can be traumatic in some cases, and in others children were slightly affected by exposure to alcohol. FAS has a wide range of effects on the fetus and infant, retarded growth, under developed facial features, slow cognitive development, and many more. The evidence of cases is overwhelming, yet in some societies it is still anRead MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1522 Words   |  7 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a disorder that can happen to children whose mothers drank sufficient amounts of alcohol sometime throughout their pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a condition classified in a group called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and is the most known and severe of the group. FAS, depending on the factors such as location, population and race studied is considered one of the leading known causes of mental retardation and birth defects, with 0.2 – 1.5 out of every 1Read MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesyou want your child to have FAS? Read on and I believe you will come to the same conclusion as I have about FAS. FAS doesn’t sound so bad, but in reality it is. FAS means Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. FAS is a combination of physical and mental defects first evident at a baby’s birth. FAS is a direct result of a woman drinking alcohol during pregnancy. These defects continue through out the child’s life. One in five hundred children are born with FAS. Your baby is at risk no matter how much liquor youRead MoreEssay on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome2703 Words   |  11 PagesFetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of mental, physical, and behavioral defects that may develop in the unborn child when its mother drinks during pregnancy. These defects occur primarily during the first trimester when the teratogenic effects of the alcohol have the greatest effect on the developing organs. The symptoms associated with FAS have been observed for many centuries, but it was not until 1968 that Lemoine and his associates formally described these