Fetal alcohol syndrome is one of the many devastating consequences that can result from alcoholism. Women should avoid the use of all illegal drugs and alcohol during pregnancy due to the harmful effects that these substances can have on the fetus. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a serious health condition that affects babies of mothers who drink during pregnancy. It is a lifelong condition of birth defects and mental problems that are completely avoidable.

The specific symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome are numerous, and they can vary from person to person. Physical effects of the disease often include small height and weight, abnormal facial features, small heads, and abnormal limbs. The baby typically has difficulties with learning, memory, and coordination. Later in life, an individual with fetal alcohol syndrome often experiences mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, legal problems, homelessness, and other elements of a generally dysfunctional life.

Women who have an alcohol addiction tend to also smoke cigarettes and abuse drugs. The effects of all of these types of substance abuse add up to very harmful consequences for the baby. Deformities, mental disorders, and stillbirth are all common occurrences for babies of mothers who had a drug or alcohol addiction during pregnancy.

It is worth repeating that fetal alcohol syndrome is completely unavoidable. There are residential rehab facilities that have a strong medical element and can provide women with prenatal care while they receive help for their alcohol addiction. These services are often found in treatment centers that cater specifically to female patients. No woman wants to cause her baby to have fetal alcohol syndrome. Getting addiction treatment now is also extremely important for women who are not currently pregnant. Heavy alcohol consumption can affect the unborn baby very early in pregnancy, and it has consequences for older children as well.

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