428 FASD Co-Ocurring Disorders

Strangely there is debate still occurring which should have been settled decades ago; the argument of how much alcohol can be consumed by pregnant women before it becomes risky for the baby? The majority of experts will tell you that there isn’t any amount of alcohol that is safe for a fetus.

The problem is that some women, many of whom may have a problem with alcohol, will drink while pregnant without any apparent consequences at the time of birth. Such occurrences give people the idea that some alcohol can be safe. But the truth of the matter is that researchers are constantly finding new disorders that can be associated with drinking while pregnant, and many of which occur under the skin and may not rear themselves until later in life.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term which covers any health consequence that can be linked to an expectant mother consuming alcohol. Some of the disorders are visible; many of them are not which makes it increasingly harder to identify potential problems. New research has shown 428 conditions that co-occur in people with FASD, ScienceDaily reports. The research was at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the findings were published in The Lancet.

"We've systematically identified numerous disease conditions co-occurring with FASD, which underscores the fact that it isn't safe to drink any amount or type of alcohol at any stage of pregnancy, despite the conflicting messages the public may hear," says Dr. Lana Popova, Senior Scientist in Social and Epidemiological Research at CAMH, and lead author on the paper. "Alcohol can affect any organ or system in the developing fetus." 

The co-occurring conditions were identified from a comprehensive review of 127 studies, according to the article. The list of disorders affected the central nervous, musculoskeletal and respiratory systems. Other problems had an impact on:

• Vision
• Hearing
• Cardiac
• Circulation
• Digestion

If you or a loved one has an alcohol use disorder, it is best to seek help, especially if you are a female who plans to have children someday. If you are pregnant, and know that you have a problem, seek help immediately - continued drinking is not worth the risk. Celebrate Hope Christian alcohol rehab, we’ll conduct a thorough clinical admission evaluation. We’ll discuss your medical history; evaluate your health and work to tailor or find a comprehensive treatment program for your specific needs.