Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, there is a chance that her baby will be born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD describes the range of disabilities that can occur when the unborn baby is prenatally exposured to alcohol. Prenatal alcohol exposure primarily affects the central nervous sytem (the brain), and can affect physical, behavioural, learning, and adaptive domains. It is also strongly associated with mental illness.
"FASD" is not a diagnosis. Instead, it is an umbrella term that encompasses a number of different disorders including: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS); Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS); Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND); and Alcohol-Related Birth Defects (ARBD).
FASD Facts
- FASD is the leading cause of developmental disability among Canadian children. (Poole, 2008). Approximately 1 in 100 Canadian children will be born with FASD (Chudley et al., 2005).
- FASD crosses all boundaries, and it is not confined to any particular race, socioeconomic status, or demographic group.
- The impact of alcohol varies on the amount, timing, and frequency of alcohol consumed. Other key factors include the mother's genetics, overall health, other drug use, and nutrition.
- During the 9 months of pregnancy it is safest not to drink any amount or type of alcoho (Chudley et al., 20050.
- FASD is preventable ... if alcohol is not consumed, FASD cannot occur. For this reason, it is safest not to drink any amount or type of alcohol (including beer, hard liquor, wine, or coolers) during pregnancy.
- FASD is a complex public health and social issue. The annual costs of FASD in Canada are profound and are estimated to be approximately $5.3 billion a year. The average annual cost per individual is estimated to be approximately $21,5000.00 per year (Stade et al., 2009).
- September 9th is FASD Awareness Day. For more information, see our FASD Awareness Day Planning and Reporting Guide.
References
Chudley, A., Conry, J., Cook, J., Loock, C., Rosales, T., LeBlanc, N. (2005). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Canadian guidelines for diagnosis. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 172 (Suppl. 5), S1-S21.
Poole, N. (2008). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD): Canadian perspectives. Retrieved June 3, 2010, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fasd-etcaf/pdf/cp-pc-eng.pdf
Stade, B., Ali, A., Bennett, D., Campbell, D., Johnston, M., Lens, C., Koren, G. (2009). The burden of prenatal exposure to alcohol: Revised measurement of cost. Can J Clin Pharmacol, 16, e91-e102.
FASD Resources
FASD Fact Sheet 
FASD: A RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONALS
FASD Websites
FASD Support Network of Saskatchewan
www.skfasnetwork.ca
Motherisk
www.motherisk.org
Public Health Agency of Canada: FASD Homepage
www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fasd-etcaf/index-eng.php
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
www.ccsa.ca
What We Do
Guiding Principles in Addressing FASD
More about Guiding Principles in Addressing FASD
FASD Multimedia Awareness Campaigns
More about FASD Multimedia Awareness Campaigns
Saskatchewan FASD Speakers' Bureau
More about Saskatchewan FASD Speakers' Bureau
