The more alcohol a woman drink when she’s pregnant, the greater the risk she is taking with her baby’s health. Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and small birth weight are all associated with a mother’s drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)  affects the way a baby’s brain develops. First discovered by two doctors in the US in 1973, the seriousness of  the condition depends on how much alcohol a mother drank during pregnancy. The World Health Organisation quotes a 2005 US study which estimated that one in every 1,000 children are born with FAS (2).

What is foetal alcohol syndrome?

Children with FAS have distinct facial features including: small and narrow eyes, a small head, a smooth area between the nose and the lips and a thin upper lip. They also show the following symptoms:

• Hearing and ear problems
• Mouth, teeth and facial problems
• Weak immune system
• Epilepsy
• Liver damage
• Kidney and heart defects
• Cerebral palsy and other muscular problems
• Height and weight issues
• Hormonal disorders

How FAS develops during pregnancy

When a pregnant woman drinks, the alcohol goes across the placenta to the foetus via the bloodstream The foetus’ liver isn’t fully formed, so it cannot metabolise the alcohol quickly enough.  At this stage, the baby has a high blood alcohol concentration. It therefore lacks oxygen and the nutrients needed for its brain and organs to grow properly. White matter in the brain, which is responsible for speeding up the processing of information, is sensitive to alcohol so when a mother drinks, it affects the development of her baby’s white matter.”

Timing is another medical factor in the development of foetal alcohol syndrome. A baby’s facial features are formed during weeks six to nine of pregnancy. Scientific evidence shows that mothers who drink during this three-week window are more likely to have babies with the facial deformities associated with FAS. Damage to the baby’s organs through drinking is most likely to happen in the first three months.

FASD signs and symptoms

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the umbrella term used to describe the conditions that occur in people who have been diagnosed with some, but not all, of the symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome. Like FAS, FASD is caused by a mother’s drinking during pregnancy, and it affects the way a baby develops physically and mentally. There are no accurate records of the incidence of FASD in Western countries, but experts estimate that it may be as high as one child in 100 is born with FASD (

It is more difficult for a specialist to diagnose FASD than it is FAS. This is because children with FASD may not have facial deformities. It might not be until they start going to school and interacting with others that the following symptoms – which also affect children with foetal alcohol syndrome – show up:

• Learning difficulties
• Problems with language
• Lack of appropriate social boundaries (such as over friendliness with strangers)
• Poor short term memory
• Inability to grasp instructions
• Failure to learn from the consequences of their actions
• Egocentricity
• Mixing reality and fiction
• Difficulty with group social interaction
• Poor problem solving and planning
• Hyperactivity and poor attention
• Poor coordination.

Treatment for children

GPs can refer children with FAS and FASD to community paediatricians who are likely to investigate problems further with psychologists, psychiatrists, speech and language therapists and specialists for organ defects.

Dr Mukherjee runs a clinic for children and adults over six with FAS and FASD. He diagnoses FASD by excluding similar conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). “Then it’s about working with the child, parents and other professionals, such as teachers, to find a management strategy for the condition,” he says. “For example, parents can learn to repeat instructions for children and use simple language and teachers should allow them more time and provide extra supervision.”

Early diagnosis is key. Research shows that people who have FAS or FASD go on to experience “secondary disabilities” – those not present at birth – which could be prevented with appropriate support. These include mental health and alcohol and drug problems. “Early diagnosis allows the stability and management that children with FAS or FASD need to be invoked earlier,” says Professor McIntosh.

Advice for mums-to-be

We don’t know how much alcohol is safe to drink in pregnancy. It depends on various factors such as how fast a mum-to-be absorbs alcohol, her physical health, diet and what medication she is on. It’s why the government advises pregnant women and those trying to conceive to avoid alcohol altogether.

If you didn’t know you were pregnant and you have been drinking above the government’s lower risk guidelines, don’t panic. Talk to your doctor or midwife about any concerns you may have. Just because you may have drunk does not mean you have necessarily done damage. If you drink a lot of alcohol  and are pregnant and find it hard to stop, talk to your doctor about getting help.

“If you drink a low amount when you are pregnant your baby has a low risk of developing FAS or FASD,” says Dr Mykherjee. “If you drink heavily you have a high risk. If you don’t drink, there’s no risk at all.”