This April, FASD United recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month as a great opportunity to learn more about the harmful risks of alcohol misuse. An important part of our mission to support and empower the FASD community is to educate the public about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).   

No amount or type of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. FASD is not rare, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people, most of whom are not diagnosed or identified. Stigma is a major barrier to identification and treatment. It is often very difficult for someone to get an FASD diagnosis due to a lack of diagnostic clinics, financial barriers, and dealing with systems of care that are not FASD-informed. 

It’s a myth that “only alcoholics can have a child with FASD.” While binge drinking is associated with the greatest risk, there is no safe alcohol level, and PAE can have effects even at relatively low or moderate amounts, well below the typical cutoff for an alcohol use disorder. Studies show that nearly 1 in 7 pregnant people reported drinking alcohol, in part due to medical misinformation. 

Alcohol treatment and recovery services should be FASD-informed so they can best serve the unique needs of pregnant people, as well as individuals living with FASD. We know that substance/alcohol use disorders are common in young adults with FASDs. Treatment strategies and approaches need to be tailored to meet the needs of the FASD community, as each person with FASD is unique. 

When it comes to alcohol treatment and recovery, give FASD a seat at the table. 

To get involved in Alcohol Awareness Month, share our social media suite featuring a collaboration with The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH/NIAAA) and their “Alcohol and Your Pregnancy” Q&A page.