Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

In February, 2005, the Surgeon General issued the following updated advisory:

• A pregnant woman should not drink alcohol during pregnancy.
• A pregnant woman who has already consumed alcohol during her pregnancy should stop in order to minimize further risk.
• A woman who is considering becoming pregnant should abstain from alcohol.

The Surgeon General concludes from the current research that:

• No amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy.
• Alcohol can damage a fetus at any stage of pregnancy. Damage can occur in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, even before a woman knows that she is pregnant.

To read the entire advisory from the Surgeon General, go to: www.surgeongeneral.gov/pressreleases/sg02222005.html

For more information about preventing FASDs, enroll in our free CME course, Screening and Brief Intervention with Pregnant Women