How does alcohol cause these problems?
• Alcohol in the mother’s blood crosses the placenta freely and enters the embryo or fetus through the umbilical cord. Alcohol exposure in the first 3 months of pregnancy can cause structural defects (e.g., facial changes). Growth and CNS problems can occur from drinking alcohol any time during pregnancy. The brain is developing throughout pregnancy. It can be damaged at any time. It is unlikely that one mechanism can explain the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing fetus. For example, brain images of some people with FAS show that certain areas have not developed normally. The images show that certain cells are not in their proper place and tissues have died in some areas.
When a pregnant woman drinks beer, wine, hard liquor, or other alcoholic drinks, alcohol gets into her blood. This alcohol travels to her baby through the umbilical cord. Once the alcohol is in the baby’s body, it can cause birth defects. Drinking alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy can cause the facial and other physical defects of FAS. Drinking alcohol at any time during pregnancy can slow down the baby’s growth and harm the baby’s brain. There is no safe time during pregnancy to drink any amount of alcohol. Anytime a pregnant woman drinks alcohol there is a chance the baby will be harmed.
Alcohol in the mother’s blood crosses the placenta freely and enters the embryo or fetus through the umbilical cord. The exact mechanism(s) by which alcohol damages the fetus and critical times of exposure are not known; however, exposure during the first trimester results in the structural defects (i.e., facial changes) characteristic of FAS, whereas the growth and CNS disturbances could occur from alcohol use during any time in pregnancy.
