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Learning More About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

August 30, 2018

An exchange program through Hartford HealthCare now has more knowledge on the connection between alcohol consumption during pregnancy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Hartford HealthCare’s Kate Sims led a team that traveled with a team to South Africa to learn more about the issue.

Q: What impact does alcohol have on the baby if the mother consumes it during pregnancy? 

A: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder can be anything from slightly emotional issues to major physical disorders. It can be cleft lip. It can be facial disorders. It can be mental illness.

Q: What did you discover by taking this trip to South Africa?

A: It’s was a vocational training trip that we do with the Rotary. There were five people who took part: two doctors, myself, and representatives of the Connecticut Departments of Children & Families and Mental Health & Addiction Services. Our goal was to take a close-up look at the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome during pregnancy. South Africa has a much more devastating problem in this area than we do here in the U. S. Part of their history relates to farmers paying their workers in alcohol; therefore, they have a significant issue with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This disorder consists of emotional and physical ailments that occur as a result of a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Q: What lessons did you learn as a result of this trip?

A: What it showed us for the United States is that we don’t do enough research on alcohol. What we do know is that alcohol is the first pathway to drug addiction. But we don’t do enough research on that. We don’t test for alcohol during pregnancy. We don’t research during pregnancy. South Africa is ahead of us from a research perspective.

What we took home is that a knowledge base that we have to pay more attention. Our obstetrician/gynecologists need to consider more testing and more research, and really look into the significance of making sure that we tell everyone that no amount of alcohol during pregnancy is safe. If we do that, that’s going to make a huge impact for us in the United States.

It’s a huge awareness for us looking forward and much more work to do in that area.

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction – particularly during pregnancy – there are services available through Hartford HealthCare’s Behavioral Health Network. Click here for more information.