What causes FAS and FASD?
Full FAS may occur when a pregnant woman drinks 2 or more drinks a day, 14 drinks on average, per week or 4 or more drinks on any one occasion (binge drinking). The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has determined that one drink a day is moderate for a woman and two drinks a day is moderate for a man. Some researchers feel that even drinking in the months prior to conception can have a deleterious effect upon the woman’s ovum and perhaps even upon the man’s sperm. Therefore it is strongly advised that both the potential mother and father refraining from drinking for three months prior to conception. The mother should refrain from drinking after birth if she is nursing. Other factors that influence the effect of alcohol upon the developing child are the mother’s age, how long she has been drinking, her nutritional status, and the manner in which she drinks. The older a woman is, her body becomes less efficient in metabolizing alcohol. However, if a girl starts d
