For Providers

Notice: Some FASD resource web pages whose development was funded by the federal government are currently unavailable or incomplete until review for compliance with executive orders is complete.

A child or adolescent with an FASD may have a combination of physical, neurodevelopmental, neurocognitive, and behavioral problems with each manifesting a range of severity. Several initial studies, using active case findings of school-aged children, indicate that 1% to 5% of children in the United States may have an FASD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates that approximately 13.5% of pregnancies may have alcohol exposure.

An FASD diagnosis provides families, pediatricians, and nonphysician clinicians a framework for understanding an individual’s behavior and their needs. Science indicates that therapeutic interventions, special education and support services improve outcomes for patients and families. The protective effect of early diagnosis can reduce the risk of additional disabilities and mitigate lifelong consequences. Ongoing care in a supportive pediatric home is an important component to achieving health and wellbeing for any child with an FASD and their family.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG

ACOG Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Program

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be a concern in the United States. Ob-gyns are uniquely situated to help combat alcohol-related mortality and morbidity before, during, and after pregnancy.

ACOG's FASD Prevention Program is a CDC-funded initiative. Our goal is to empower health care providers to speak with their patients about abstaining from alcohol use during pregnancy by providing ob-gyns with the resources and tools they need to communicate with patients about this public health issue. We also develop and compile resources for patients including FAQs, referral and treatment recommendations, fact sheets, and other educational materials.

Tools and Videos for Providers

The following strategies can be used to help women of childbearing age change their drinking behavior. They have been proven effective for use during office visits.

American Association of Family Physicians AAFP

Addressing Prenatal Alcohol Use

American Psychological Association APA

A Hidden Epidemic of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

National Association of Social Workers NASW

Five Facts Social Workers Need to Know About Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) - The Common Disability You Know Nothing About

Nurses and Nurse Practitioners

CDC Online Training and Resources

Research

January 2022 CDC MMWR Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking During Pregnancy Among Adults Aged 18–49 Years United States, 2018–2020

Leruste, S., Doray, B., Maillard, T. et al. Scoping review on the role of the family doctor in the prevention and care of patients with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. BMC Prim. Care 25, 66 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02291-x

Flannigan, Katherine, et al. Responding to the Unique Complexities of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Front. Psychol. , 24 January 2022 Sec. Psychology for Clinical SettingsVolume 12 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.778471

Page, Kimberly, et al. Prevalence of Marijuana Use in Pregnant Women with Concurrent Opioid Use Disorder or Alcohol use in Pregnancy. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice (2022) 17:3

Bakhireva, Ludmila, et al. Prevalence of Alcohol Use in Pregnant Women with Substance Use Disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend.2018 June 01;187:305-310

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.02.025

Jarlenski, Marian, et al. Polysubstance use among US women of reproductive age who use opioids for nonmedical reasons. Am J Public Health. 2017 August; 107(8): 1308–1310

Ernst, A.M.; Gimbel, B.A.; de Water, E.; Eckerle, J.K.; Radke, J.P.; Georgieff, M.K.; Wozniak, J.R. Prenatal and Postnatal Choline Supplementation in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Nutrients 2022, 14,688. https://doi.org/10.3390/ nu14030688

More research here

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG

ACOG Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Program

Alcohol use during pregnancy continues to be a concern in the United States. Ob-gyns are uniquely situated to help combat alcohol-related mortality and morbidity before, during, and after pregnancy.

Tools and Videos for Providers

The following strategies can be used to help women of childbearing age change their drinking behavior. They have been proven effective for use during office visits.

​​