Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal intoxicant SyndromeFetal Alcohol Syndrome is a series of birth defects such as physical, mental, behavioral and learning problems caused by the mother drinking intoxi arset during motherhood. Kenneth Jones and David Smith at the University of Washington in Seattle officially identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 1973 (Golden 1). The pick out reasons certain fetuses atomic number 18 affected and others atomic number 18 not, is not fully understood. CDC reports state that 0.2 to 1.5 per 1000 babies are innate(p) each year in the United States with intoxi bottom of the inningt associate birth defects (CDC 1).Fetal Alcohol Syndrome potentiometer be prevented with education. Even small changes in education and behavior can reduce the hazard of women big(a) birth to babies with fetal inebriantic beverage syndrome. Women slang been drinking for years not knowing or ground the effects that alcohol had on their babies. roughly women that drink do not even know they are pregnant and whitethorn unknowingly and unintentionally cause damage to the unhatched and developing baby. Then at that place are the women that are addicted to alcohol. The drive can be stronger for the alcohol than for the health of herself or her unborn baby. Education, behavior modification and detoxification are areas of change needed to help with prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.When alcohol is consumed it is absorbed into the mothers bloodstream and passed through the placenta and into the central nervous placement of the fetus. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system of the fetus. Alcohol is a potent teratogen. A teratogen is any substance which has been proven to cause birth defects. It is not fully known if it is the alcohol or acetaldehyde, which is a breakdown product from alcohol, which causes birth defects. How the damage occurs is not completely understood, but alcohol does create a glucose and oxygen deficit for the fetus (Spong 1).There is change magni tude risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects in women that drink, especially in the first trimester. Also, the amount of alcohol intake can multiply the chances of these effects. The organs of the fetus begin developing between three to ten weeks. Alcohol may affect the developing organs such as the totality, wittiness and central nervous system. Because of the effect on the brain, alcohol can cause mental retardation. Damage to the brain can happen anytime during the pregnancy since the brain develops for all nine months and beyond birth (Belfort 2006).The effects of the alcohol can vary in get of severity and parts of the anantomy. Some babies are born with result deficiencies due to the alcohol consumption during pregnancy. They are short in length, under weight, and have small heads (Wong). Facial abnormalities include small eye openings, droopy eyelids, skin folds across the inner corners of the eyes, a jejunetened or missing bridge of the nose, underdeveloped philtrum, burn upper lip, cleft lip, and cleft palate (Wong). There are major organ defects, especially of the heart such as septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, and patent ductus arteriosus (Wong). They may have problems with their respiratory system such as apnea, pulmonary hypertension and SIDS. Renal abnormalities include aplastic, dysplastic, hypoplastic kidneys, horseshoe kidneys, ureteral duplications, and hydronephrosis (Wong 844). They may have joint and limb abnormalities. Some of the skeletal abnormalities are restriction of movement, altered palmar crease patterns, hypoplastic nails, shortened digits, radionulnar synostosis, flexion contractures, pectus excavaum and carinatum, Klippei-Feil syndrome, hemivertebrae, and scoliosis (Fry-Johnson 42) . deformity of the Eustachian tube, conductive hearing loss and nuerosensory hearing loss are some auditory defects. They tend to have chronic ear infections. They have a tendency to be more susceptible to infections (Wong 844) .Malnutrition is a risk factor for women that drink and can lead to birth defects. Malnutrition can cause low birth weight, growth retardation, fetal damage, and is an increased risk for spontaneous abortion and stillbirth. There are several reasons for the malnutrition. First, alcoholics prefer alcohol over food therefore the intake of needed nutrients is poor. Then there is reduce absorption and metamorphosis of nutrients.Women that drink can be deficient in many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K, iron, magnesium and zinc. insufficiency in vitamin B6 can result in a clubfoot, cleft lip and palate. Folate acid deficiencies are related to neural tube defects and orofacial defects. Riboflavin deficiency may affect failure to grow, thrive and develop. overlook of thiamine has been found to cause heart defects. Deformities related to vitamin K deficiency are shortened fingers, cupped ears, flat nasal bridges, and underdeveloped nos e, mouth and mid face. Babies that are born iron deficient are very much smaller and shorter. Deficiency in zinc has been linked to impaired growth and development. Zinc deficiency has been related to lower immunity in infants and abnormalities of the nervous system that lead to learning difficulties and mental retardation (Anderson 3). tally to an article by Mary J. OConnor in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol abuse, children with fetal alcohol syndrome may extract cognitive and attention deficits, increased activity levels, problems in inhibition and state regulation, perseverative behavior, and communicatory language and motor problems. These problems may last into and throughout adulthood. They may have difficulties such as attach in infants and depression in 4-6 year olds. There have been reports of depression, anxiety, psychosis, somatic complaints, delinquency, hyperactivity and sleep disorders. OConnor also reports in a study done on 473 people that were prenatall y exposed to alcohol 44% were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 40% had psychotic disorders, and 20% had bipolar disorders(Womens Health1). Studies on prenatal alcohol exposure and relation to IQ show varying severities. It was noted that some children for unknown reasons are more susceptible than others to the effects of alcohol. An article in Journal of School Health by Jennifer H. Green reports on a review of studies done viewing an average IQ for people with fetal alcohol syndrome at 65.73 with a range of 20-120 (Green 1).Fetal alcohol syndrome is a preventable problem. The public needs to be educated on the effects alcohol can have on an unborn child and that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. The effects from alcohol ingestion during pregnancy can range in severity and last a lifetime. Healthcare proletarian must educate and advise all females within childbearing years of the potential harm to the fetus. During pregnancy it is never too late to stop and r educe the risk to the fetus. Ultimately it is up to the mother to hail through with these warnings and advice.Work CitiedAnderson, Mark. Historical Perspective antepartum Nutrition and Birth Defects. Selen River Press, 2008. World broad Web. July 24, 2008.http//www.seleneriverpress.com/media/pdf_docs/36_BirthDefectsandNutrition.Belfort, Mandy. plane section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, MA. , Healthline Pregnancy Guide, February 2006World Wide Web July 26, 2008.http//www.healthline.com/yodocontent/pregnancy/premature-baby-brain-problems.htmlCenter for Diease Control and Prevention.(2006) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. World Wide Web July 24, 2008.http//www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htmhowFry-Johnson, Yvonne W. M.D.(2005). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Its a Faith Walk World Wide Web July 25, 2008.http//www.sefasrtc.org/presentations/Its%20a%20Faith%20Walk%2031705Fetal%20Alcohol%20Syndrome.pdfGolden, Janet. 2005. Message in a Bottle The Making of F etal Alcohol Syndrome. Cambridge Harvard University Press.Green, Jennifer H.Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders understanding the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and supporting students.Journal of School Health77.3(March 2007)103(6).General OneFile.Gale.BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.24 July 2008http//find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS.Prenatal alcohol exposure has effects far beyond fetal alcohol syndrome.Womens Health Weekly(Dec 9, 2004)75.General OneFile.Gale.BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.24 July 2008http//find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS.Work CitiedSpong CY (2006) Protection against Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Damage. PLoS Med 3(4) e196 doi10.1371/journal.pmed.0030196Wong, Donna L., Hockenberry, Marilyn J., Perry, Shannon E., and Lowdermilk, Deitra Leonard. (2006). Maternal Child Nursing Care (3rd edition). St. Louis Mosby Elsevier.