As we welcome the start of 2025, FASD United recognizes National Birth Defects Awareness Month as an opportunity to support and empower the FASD community, build connections within the larger disability community, and rethink how we see and talk about people with FASD, disabilities, and birth defects.  

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a leading known cause of birth defects, developmental disorders, and learning disabilities. According to the CDC, a birth defect “refers to health conditions that develop in a baby before birth.”  It is important to note that while “birth defect” is a medical term, it does not mean that an individual is “defective.” Using a strengths-based approach is important whether we are talking about birth defects or specific conditions like FASD. To learn more about empowering and non-stigmatizing language, please refer to our new Language and Stigma Guide. 

Every person impacted by birth defects is unique, but regardless of what type of birth defect an individual has, having access to appropriate supports, resources, and an empowering community is important for all.  

As part of Birth Defects Awareness Month, we are honored to be collaborating with MotherToBaby and the CDC on a three-part podcast series on FASD. The first episode on FASD Discovery and Prevalence is now available and features renowned experts Dr. Kenneth Lyons Jones and Dr. Christina Chambers.  Two more episodes on FASD will be launching later this month. MotherToBaby is also launching a pregnancy interactive tool and a free webinar for healthcare professionals on January 31, 2025 at 9a PT/12p ET, presented by Dr. Noemi Spinazzi of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Click on the links to learn more. 

As we talk about FASD within the context of birth defects, it is critical to note that while the term “birth defects” is often associated with physical features and effects, most individuals with FASD do not have visible features related to PAE and instead experience a wide range of brain-based developmental and behavioral effects. This results in FASD often being a non-apparent disability.   

It is also crucial to emphasize that FASD persists throughout the lifespan. FASD is sometimes mistakenly thought to be a condition that only affects young children, but the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure can be lifelong. Adolescents and adults with FASD often struggle to get support and recognition and may feel excluded and isolated as a result.  

While each person with a birth defect or disability like FASD is unique, many of the same principles that apply to the FASD community are also meaningful for the birth defects and disability community as a whole. This includes early intervention, community support, transition-age care, countering stigma, and following the principles of disability inclusion and neurodiversity.  All people with FASD, birth defects, and disabilities deserve support, understanding, inclusion, and empowerment.