Pregnancy & Alcohol Consumption

Prenatal alcohol exposure has been directly implicated in a wide range of deficits that adversely influence the development of affected individuals. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term referring to a continuum of effects that occur in individuals who were prenatally exposed to alcohol. FASD is a permanent birth defect, and a leading cause of mental retardation and developmental delay. This book gathers the latest research in the study of pregnancy and alcohol consumption from authors around the globe, including the biochemistry of prenatal alcohol exposure; research on interventions to prevent alcohol consumption during pregnancy; medico-legal considerations concerning foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; life as an adult with foetal alcohol syndrome; and biological markers of exposure of the foetus to alcohol during pregnancy.