health

Researchers estimate that about 1 percent of the general U.S. population
is affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and that 40,000 babies are
born every year with some kind of birth defect caused by the mother’s
drinking. However, fetal alcohol syndrome itself is the only disorder in
this group that has been formally defined by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the International Classification
of Diseases (ICD). Fetal alcohol syndrome is estimated to occur in one
or two out of every 1,000 live births in the United States. The rate may
be higher in some countries where binge drinking is common. The cost
of treating one child with FAS is estimated to be $2 million over his or
her lifetime. The cost of FAS to the American public runs to more than
$321 million each year.
As far as is known, FAS affects boys and girls equally and affects children
of all races equally. The primary risk factor is the amount and frequency
of the mother’s drinking. Other risk factors in mothers include
being over age thirty, a history of heavy drinking, and low social or economic
status. Smoking and the use of other drugs can worsen the effects
of alcohol on the fetus.