Category

ME

L17

Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy and Facial Dysmorphology in

Offspring

Abstract

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a permanent birth disorder that results

from alcohol ingestion during pregnancy. Children with FAS have mental

and behavioral impairments, as well as facial and growth abnormalities.

The existence of FAS facial features may suggest significant brain and

nervous system damage. In this study the facial features of children who

weren’t exposed to alcohol and those that were were compared by

evaluating pictures using the FAS Facial Photographic Analysis Software.

The data was correlated to the quantity of alcohol they were exposed to

during fetal light.

The goal for this study was to objectively measure the facial features of

children born to women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy. The

hypothesis for this study was: the morphogenic features, birth weight and

getational age of children born to women who used alcohol during

pregnancy is associated with amount of alcohol ingested. Furthermore,

gender may be a moderator of prenatal alcohol such that different effects

may be seen in male and female offspring.

At the Fetal Alcohol Research Center of the Wayne State University,

pregnant women were screened for alcohol use as part of an existing

study. The offspring of these women were followed into childhood.

Standardized photographs meeting certain minimum criteria were obtained

at 6-7 years of age. De-identified photographs were evaluated as part of

this project. Three key diagnostic features that characterize the FAS facial

phenotype were evaluated: small palpebral fissures, smooth philtrum, and

thin upper lip. This data was analyzed after receiving maternal alcohol

consumption data from the parent study.

Bibliography

Clarren SK, Smith DW. The fetal alcohol syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1978;

298: 1063-7.

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