April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. Maternal alcohol
consumption during pregnancy is one of the most common preventable
causes of birth defects and childhood disabilities. Varying levels
of fetal alcohol exposure result in a spectrum of alcohol-related
disabling conditions, including fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) (with
its characteristic physical features) and cognitive and behavioral
problems. National health objectives for the year 2000 include
reducing the incidence of FAS to no more than 0.12 cases per 1000
live births (i.e., 1.2 cases per 10,000 live births) and increasing
abstinence from alcohol drinking by pregnant women by 20%
(objectives 14.4 and 14.10) (1). Although adverse health effects
associated with fetal exposure to alcohol are preventable,
effective intervention strategies are still being developed. An
important step toward developing these strategies is improving the
understanding of the occurrence and epidemiology of FAS, including
determination of population subgroups at increased risk for this
condition. This issue of MMWR includes four articles related to
maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its effects on
exposed offspring.
Reference
Public Health Service. Healthy people 2000: national health
promotion and disease prevention objectives -- full report, with
commentary. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human
Services, Public Health Service, 1991; DHHS publication no.
(PHS)91-50212.
Disclaimer
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