FAE is a less severe spectrum of birth defects, including small head size, poor heart and lung function, central nervous system problems such as tremors and decreased sucking pressure, and minor physical abnormalities like crooked toes or protruding ears. Some babies exposed to alcohol during pregnancy who do not show evidence of either FAS or FAE at birth may exhibit problems when they approach school age. These include shorter attention spans and lower IQ than average, and have the potential for causing lasting learning and emotional problems. Alcohol-related damage to babies and children has been reported in most major countries and among all socioeconomic groups. This is comparable to the number of children born each year with Down syndrome.
Alcohol passes directly through the placenta to a fetus soon after being consumed by the mother.
A fetus gets as much alcohol as a mother drinks. However, because an unborn baby's organs are immature, the alcohol is broken down much more slowly than in an adult. As a result, the alcohol level in a fetus's blood can be higher than in the mother's blood. For this reason, experts, including U.S. Surgeon General Antonia Novello, recommend that pregnant women avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Consuming alcoholic beverages during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and death in early infancy.