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How can alcohol use during pregnancy harm a developing fetus?

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alcohol consumption Patrons in a beer garden during Oktoberfest, an annual festival held in Munich, Germany.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses significant risks to a developing fetus, as ethanol and its byproduct acetaldehyde can cross the placenta and interfere with normal development. These effects are collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) being the most severe form.12

Harmful impacts include:
* Physical Abnormalities: Infants may exhibit restricted growth, microcephaly, characteristic facial features (such as a thin upper lip and small eye openings), cleft palate, and defects in the heart, joints, and limbs.13
* Neurological and Cognitive Impairment: Alcohol can cause severe damage to the central nervous system, leading to intellectual disability, developmental delays, and behavioral issues like poor concentration and impulsiveness.12

Because it remains unclear if any amount of alcohol is safe at any stage of pregnancy, medical experts and the U.S. Surgeon General advise total abstinence from alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy to protect the fetus from these preventable, lifelong conditions.13